Woyome wins appeal against Judgment Debt Commission

The Court of Appeal has set aside the findings of the Judgment Debt Commission chaired by Justice Yaw Appau against businessman,

According to the court, the Commission breached the rules of natural justice for not allowing Woyome an opportunity to appear before it.

The three member panel presided over by Justice Victor Ofoe made an order for the findings to be expunged from the whitepaper dated November 18, 2015 and the Report of the Sole Commissioner on the findings and decision pertaining to the businessman.

Read the report here: White paper on the report of the Commission of Inquiry into judgement debts

Background

Woyome was paid GH¢51.2 million after he claimed he had incurred losses for financially engineering 1.1 billion Euros for the CAN 2008 tournament and other government projects.

However, the Auditor-General's report released in 2010 said the amount was paid illegally to him.

The report resulted in nationwide controversy, with operatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who were in government during the CAN 2008 tournament claiming Woyome did no work to be paid that whopping sum of money.

The then Attorney-General, Mr Joe Ghartey, said Woyome was contracted to help in raising money for the construction of the stadia but he failed to meet the deadline.

The then NPP government, he said, had no choice but to abrogate the contract with Woyome.

In 2009, when the NPP had left office, Woyome went to court and claimed that his contract had illegally been terminated and demanded a judgement debt from government.

The Attorney-General in Prof. Mills administration, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, who failed to defend the state, rather negotiated with Woyome for him to reduce his demand on the government.

Woyome then requested for GH¢51.2 million.