Woyome given seven days to file statement of defence

The Supreme Court has given Alfred Agbesi Woyome, businessman seven days to file his statement of defence in a suit requesting the overturn of its decision that he refunds GH?1 million to the state.

Alhaji Abdulai Yusif Fanash Muhammed has gone to the Supreme Court inviting it to overturn its decision that Woyome refund GH¢ 51 million cedis to the state.

At Thursday’s sitting, the court noted that Woyome’s lawyer had not file his statement of defence in the suit because his lead counsel is in disposed and had made available an excuse duty.

Mr Martin A Amidu, a Lawyer, who represented himself at the court stated that Mr Woyome had not filed his statement of defence because he had none.

According to Mr Amidu he had not file his statement of defence because of Alhaji Muhammed’s suit was needless and he had not been able to demonstrate to the court whether his defence was good.

Mr Amidu explained that he had not filed his defence because of tactical and technical reasons.

Meanwhile Mrs Dorothy Afriyie Ansah a Senior State Attorney told the court that the Attorney General opposed to the application and if Woyome’s counsel is indisposed, a colleague from his chambers could have filed on his behalf.

The judge, Mr Justice Yaw Appau gave Mr Ken Anku who represented Woyome, seven days to file the statement of defence.

The judge informed parties that the substantive writ which is to be heard on February 2 has now been slated on February 4.

The anti-corruption crusader Martin Amidu filed a suit at the Supreme Court praying the Supreme Court to throw out a suit filed by one Abdulai Yusif Fanash Muhammed which is praying the same court to overturn its own earlier ruling concerning the businessman to return GH¢ 51.2 million to the state.

Mr Muhammed sued Mr Amidu, the Attorney General, and Mr Woyome for a declaration that “the financial engineering claims by Alfred Agbesi Woyome arising out of the tender bid by Vamed Engineering GmbH/Waterville Holdings during the procurement process from June 2005 until its wrongful abrogation in August 2005 is not an international business transaction within the meaning of Article 181 of the Constitution, 1992,” for which reason parliamentary endorsement would have been necessary.

Woyome was acquitted and discharged by a High Court on two counts of defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state.

Mr Woyome was paid the GH?51 million after he sued the state over an alleged breach of a purported contract between him and the Government.

Mr Woyome promised to refund the money by the end of 2015.