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Woyome's refunded GH¢4.6m, what it means

However, government's effort to retrieve the money illegally paid to Woyome has proved futile over the years. There have been many legal tussles to retrieve the money.

Mr 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 opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier.

Then Attorney General Martin 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.

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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.

In government’s bid to retrieve the rest of the money, it has been trying to trace properties of Mr Woyome. The court has also ordered Mr Woyome to present himself in court for cross-examination to show his properties.

Mr Woyome took the matter to African Human and People’s Right Court in Arusha [Tanzania] that his rights were being violated.

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“Monies collected or recovered from the garnisheed order ¢167,565.62 and monies paid as a result of settlement is ¢4.5 million so the two sum up to the ¢4.667.566.62 million,” The Controller and Accountant General disclosed to the Committee.

But the current Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo recently said government is resolved in retrieving the money from Woyome.

She said that she is expecting that in October, government will continue the interrogation of Mr Woyome to ensure that he pays the money.

“People should know that this is not about politics…it is about justice. The court has made a decision that he is liable to pay an amount to the state which he is resisting. Natural justice requires that he is heard which is what is going on", she said.

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“I can say that we are not relenting on our efforts to retrieve the money and I am hopeful that the time will come to retrieve the money…even legal tussles have their ends", he added.

MPs on the Committee bemoaned the slow payment of the money from Mr. Woyome and also questioned why the progress of the payment was not captured in the report.

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