Civil Society Group, the CitizenGhana Movement (CGM) has sued the Attorney General (AG), Marietta Brew Appiah, over the delay in retrieval of the GHc51.2 million cedis judgement debt paid to businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
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Group sues AG over Woyome money
Mr Woyome was paid the sum of GHc51 million as judgment debt for allegedly offering services to the state during preparations for the 2008 African Cup of Nations hosted in Ghana.
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The Supreme Court, in 2014, ordered Mr Woyome to refund the said amount but the Attorney General’s Department is yet to retrieve the money.
In a statement, the CGM said “It is disturbing to note that between July 2014 and December 2015, the value of the judgment debt of GHC51.2million had depreciated by GHC12.6 million. A continued delay in executing the judgment therefore means a continued depreciation of its value.”
According to CGM, the court must order the AG to take such lawful steps to confiscate the assets of Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
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“…CGM wants the Court to order the AG to take such lawful steps to preserve the assets of Alfred Agbesi Woyome so that the hard won judgment of Hon Martin Amidu is not rendered a pyrrhic victory.”
Below is the full statement:
CITIZENGHANA MOVEMENT SUES THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL WITH THE OBJECT OF COMPELLING HER THROUGH THE COURT TO RETRIEVE THE GHC51.2 MILLION FROM ALFRED AGBESI WOYOME
On 29th July, 2014, in a case brought by Hon. Martin Amidu, the Supreme Court made an order against Alfred Agbesi Woyome to refund GHC51.2million back to the State. Since that date, the Attorney General (AG), who has the sole and primary responsibility to enforce this order, has failed to do so. On the 30th of March, 2015, counsel for Alfred Woyome, intimated in court that his client shall liquidate the judgment debt by the end of December 2015.
On the 29th of October, 2015, CGM wrote to the AG requesting for an update on the status of the cases (both civil and criminal) against Woyome. There was no response from the AG. Consequently, CGM was compelled to do its own search and investigations to ascertain whether or not the AG had taken steps to enforce the order for refund made by the court against Woyome. The investigations revealed that no such steps had been taken.
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Hence, on 24th November, 2015, CGM wrote a second letter to the AG demanding that the AG immediately moves to enforce the order and to take such lawful steps to preserve the assets of Woyome. Till date, CGM has not had any response from the AG, not even one to acknowledge receipt of the two letters.
It is disturbing to note that between July 2014 and December 2015, the value of the judgment debt of GHC51.2million had depreciated by GHC12.6 million. A continued delay in executing the judgment therefore means a continued depreciation of its value.
As citizens we are enjoined by Article 41(f) of the Constitution to protect and preserve public property and expose and combat misuse and waste of public funds and property. And it is our belief that the Attorney General carries an equal if not higher, responsibility to protect and preserve public property, which duty involves the enforcement of the judgment of the Supreme Court against Woyome.
Consequently, CGM through two of its leading members, has filed a suit at the High Court, Accra with the primary object of seeking an order from the court in the nature of a mandamus, to compel the AG to immediately go into execution of the judgment of the Supreme Court. Again, CGM wants the Court to order the AG to take such lawful steps to preserve the assets of Alfred Agbesi Woyome so that the hard won judgment of Hon Martin Amidu is not rendered a pyrrhic victory.
We therefore call on all well-meaning Ghanaians including civil society organizations to support this court action as it is in the prime interest of the general public.
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