An Accra High Court in Ghana has freed businessman, Alfred Agbesie Woyome.
The NDC financier was facing two counts of causing financial loss to the state and defrauding by false pretence after he was accused of illegally recieving 51 million cedis in 2010 for his role in the construction of stadia for the CAN 2008 tournament held in Ghana.
But Justice Ajet-Nasam said the prosecution failed to prove its case against the accused person.
In a ruling handed, Thursday, the judge did not understand why key actors in the case including former Attorney General and her deputy, Betty Mould Iddrisu and Ebo Barton Oduro respectively were not invited to testify.
He had no option than to let the accused person walk.
There was sudden eruption of jubilation from family members and friends of Alfred Woyome who thronged the court in solidarity with the business man.
Facts of the case
Alfred Woyome was paid ¢51 million for helping Ghana raise funds to construct stadia for purposes of hosting the CAN 2008 Nations Cup.
However an Auditor General’s report released in 2010 said the amount was paid illegally to the NDC financier. To get a lawyer involved navigate to this web-site.
The report triggered nationwide controversy with critics accusing government of misappropriating funds. Officials of the New Patriotic Party who were in government during the CAN 2008 tournament said Woyome did no work to be paid that whopping sum of money.
The then Attorney General Joe Ghartey said Woyome was contracted to help in raising money for the construction works but he failed to meet the deadline.
He said the NPP government had no choice than to abrogate the contract with Woyome.
When the NPP left office in 2009, Alfred Woyome proceeded to court claiming his contract was illegally terminated and was demanding a judgment debt well over 2 million cedis.
The then Attorney General under the late Mills administration Betty Mould Iddrisu is said to have negotiated with Woyome for him to reduce his demand on government. He did and requested for 51 million cedis instead to be paid in three tranches. The court had asked the AG to pay the first tranche of 17 million cedis to the plaintiff but the AG decided to pay all the three tranches.
Her Deputy Ebo Barton Oduro later publicly defended the payment to Woyome.
Martin Amidu
In 2010 Martin Amidu was appointed Attorney General to replace Betty Mould Iddrisu who was sent to the Education Ministry.
That appointment and revelations in the 2010 Audit report changed the dynamics of the Woyome scandal.
Amidu had Woyome arrested and charged for causing financial loss to the state. Two others, including Nerquaye Tetteh, the chief state attorney were also arrested.
Whilst prosecuting the case, Martin Amidu was sacked from government under mysterious circumstances with Marietta Brew Hammond appointed to take his place.
Amidu however proceeded to the Supreme Court as a private citizen and managed to retrieve for the state millions of cedis said to have been paid illegally to Waterville. The judges however stayed a verdict on the Woyome case Amidu brought before them because the matter was pending before the High Court.
Marriette Brew Oppong who was prosecuting the Woyome case at the High court called eight witnesses, including former Deputy Minister of Finance, Kwaku Agyemang Manu and staff of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as well as the former Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Yaw Osafo-Maafo.
Woyome called none to testify in his defence. He relied heavily on correspondence from Betty Mould Iddrisu to the Finance Minister Kwabena Duffuor to make his case.
When judgement was delivered Thursday, the judge noted the prosecution failed to prove beyond every reasonable doubt that the suspect was guilty.
He therefore acquitted and discharged him.
Myjoyonline.com
