Alfred Agbesi Woyome
Armed security operatives yesterday stormed the Trassaco residence of embattled National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, to value his property in connection with his GH¢51.2 million indebtedness to the state.
The armed operatives were accompanying a joint taskforce of personnel from the National Security and the Land Valuation Board following a September 13 court warrant.
The Supreme Court, in a letter dated September 13, 2017, requested the Lands Commission to value some four properties belonging to Woyome.
They include House No. 16B, 6th Street at Tesano, one residential property at Kpehe and two other residential properties at Trassaco – all in Accra.
Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicated that the taskforce had conducted a similar exercise at his Abelemkpe house in Accra.
Mr. Woyome, who was reportedly caught off guard by the presence of the armed security and other members of the taskforce, was left wondering how they managed to secure a search warrant when the courts are on vacation.
DAILY GUIDE understands that Mr. Woyome tried to stop the security personnel from carrying out the valuation exercise but had to give up when a police officer reportedly pointed a gun at his wife who was recording the incident.
Contradictions
The embattled businessman had earlier told officials of the Lands Commission that he only owned one building located at Abelemkpe and that the Trassaco mansion was his brother’s.
But he is now claiming that he only allowed the security officers and members of the valuation team into his home after they had produced what looked like “an order from the Supreme Court.”
He said he was willing to repay the GH¢51.2 million paid to him in 2010 as judgement debt, but claimed he was being harassed by the state.
Mr. Woyome was fraudulently paid GH¢51.2 million after claiming that he helped Ghana raise funds to construct four stadia for the hosting of the 2008 Africa Nations Cup.
A 2010 Auditor General’s report, however, quashed the payment, describing it as illegal.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court in 2014 ordered Mr. Woyome to pay back the money, after a former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, single-handedly challenged the legality of the payment.
Following delays in retrieving the money, Supreme Court judges unanimously granted the Attorney-General clearance to execute the court’s judgment – ordering Mr. Woyome to refund the cash to the state.
He has since run to the African Court on Human and People’s Rights for redress after the International Criminal Court had thrown out his case against the state.
By Gibrill Abdul Razak