State ready to start Woyome case on June 5th – Prosecution

The State on Monday said it is ready to start the trial of Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome and three others for their respective roles in the controversial GH¢51.2 million judgment debt payment on Tuesday June 5th.

Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney told the Financial Court, a Division of the Fast Track High Court that the trial should have started Monday June 4th, but the accused persons who should have reported to the Police last Friday for their statements to be taken failed to do so.

She therefore asked the court to order the four accused persons to report to the Police for their statements to be taken in order for the trial to begin tomorrow.

Mr. Robertson Kpatsa, one of the lawyers of Mr. Woyome, explained to the court that the accused persons did not report to the Police last Friday because the investigators had told them to wait and when needed, they would be contacted.

Mr. John Ajet-Nassam, the Trial Judge, who was not convinced by the explanation of Mr. Kpatsa however adjourned the case to Wednesday, June 5, 2012.

Mr. Woyome is standing trial alongside Mr. Samuel Neequaye-Tetteh, a Chief State Attorney, Mr. Paul Asimenu, Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Mrs Gifty Nerquaye-Tetteh, Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife.

Mrs Neequaye-Tetteh has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with two sureties and also ordered to report to the Police twice a week.

Mr. Woyome has pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretence and corrupting a public officer and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢20 million with three sureties to be justified.

Mr. Neequaye-Tetteh has been charged with two counts of conspiracy and corruption of a public officer and has pleaded not guilty to the offence, while his wife faces one count of abetment of crime.

Mr. Asimenu on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to one count of abetment of crime.

Mr. Neequaye-Tetteh and Mr. Asimenu have also been granted bail in the sum of GH¢6,000 each, with two sureties each, one each to be justified.

The facts of the case are that in 2009, Woyome allegedly made a false representation to the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, stating that he had a contract with the Government of Ghana regarding the construction of sports stadia for CAN 2008 but that the contract had unlawfully been abrogated.

According to the prosecution, Mr. Woyome subsequently filed a writ at the High Court, claiming he was owed GH¢41 million and interest of GH¢10.2 million, bringing the total to GH¢51.2 million.

The prosecution said money paid were GH¢17.9 million in February 2010, GH¢10 million on January 27, 2011, GH¢10 million on April 18, 2011 and GH¢14.1 million on September 12, 2011.

It said investigations showed that the government did not owe Woyome, while Neequaye-Tetteh failed to go to court to defend the action Woyome had instituted against the state.

The prosecution further pointed out that Woyome had transferred GH¢400,000 into Mrs Neequaye-Tetteh’s account.

Investigations also revealed that as the director of Legal Services, Asimenu had written opinions and quoted wrong figures, as well as given information which created conditions for Woyome to be paid money which was not due him (Woyome).**