Assets of Woyome defrozen

 February 15, 2013 (Front page)

The Court of Appeal has ordered the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to de-freeze the accounts and assets of the businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who has been accused of defrauding the state to the tune of GH¢51.2 million.
In a unanimous decision Thursday, the court, however, held that the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) account into which the alleged payment was made should be frozen until the final determination of the criminal case against him.
The court held that it was wrong for the High Court to have granted EOCO's request for the freezing of Woyome's accounts.
It further ruled that the reason for the freezing of all Woyome's assets was a "nullity" because that action was contrary to Section 34 of the EOCO Act 804.
The court gave the order after Mr Woyome’s lawyer, Mr Osafo Buabeng, had appealed against the High Court's 2012 order which froze Woyome's accounts and assets.
The court was presided over by Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban, with Mr Justice F. Korbieh, who read the order, and Mr Justice Senyo Dzamefe as panel members.
 Woyome  is facing two counts of defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state.
The accused, who has denied any wrongdoing, is alleged to have made fraudulent claims to the government, resulting in the payment of GH¢51.2 million to him.
The three prosecution witnesses who have testified in the matter are the Deputy Head of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), Mrs Mangowa Ghanney; a former Minister of MoFEP, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, and a former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu.