Alfred Woyome Charged With Fraud, Refused Bail
The embattled businessman at the center of the controversial judgment debt Alfred Agbesi Woyome has been charged for defrauding the state with three other accomplices.
The beleaguered businessman has been refused bail for conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretense and corrupting public officials in the controversial GH¢58 million judgment debt.
The others are Chief State Attorney of Ghana, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and his wife alongside the legal director at the Ministry of Finance, Paul Asimenu.
Two charges – aiding and abetment of crime – were preferred against Nerquaye-Tetteh and the former for his wife whiles Mr. Asimenu was charged with abetment of crime in an Accra High Court on Monday.
Mrs. Nerquaye-Tetteh was granted bail in the sum of GhC 500,000 because she is a lactating mother but will have to report daily to the police.
The case has been adjourned to February 13, 2012. According to Citi News’ court correspondent, Richard Mensah, scores of Woyome sympathizers and a large gathering of pressmen were at the court to have first-hand information on the case.
The police arrested the quartet following staggering revelations in the interim report of the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) over the infamous GhC51 million judgment debt awarded to Mr. Woyome.
The report established that there were clear cases of complicity between current and past government officials prior to the issuance of the judgment debt – described as one of the biggest scandals to have hit the country.
Woyome is alleged to have transferred about GhC 400,000 from his bank account to Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife right after the judgment debt was paid, but the report failed to mention reasons behind the payment. Mr. Asimenu has been cited as the key person whose advice led to the payment of the money whiles the chief state attorney failed to defend the case in court.