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Tag: Woyome

  • You are a “hypocrite” for defending ‘lawless’ SML – Woyome fires Samson Lardy

    You are a “hypocrite” for defending ‘lawless’ SML – Woyome fires Samson Lardy

    Ghanaian businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome has criticized journalist and lawyer Sampson Lardy Anyenini, accusing him of hypocrisy over the contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML) 

    Woyome’s criticism comes after Samson Lardy Anyenini reportedly expressed sympathy towards Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML), which had its revenue assurance contract with the government scaled down due to allegations of a corrupt deal.

    Woyome argued that the legal grounds for canceling the SML contract are similar to the technicalities used against him by the government.

    He accused Anyenini of siding with the government against him but showing sympathy towards SML.

    “I heard, @Samson Lardy Anyenini, on Joy 99.7 FM say Government not sending the SML Contract to Parliament for Approval is not the FAULT of SML. In essence he is saying SML and its Directors have no constitutional mandate or obligation to send contracts to Parliament for Approval (even before executing same).

    “I must state that I agree with him 100 percent, because I have always argued that no Contractor or Businessman has the power to perform any Constitutional,  Legal or Regulatory duties/functions of Ministers or Public Officials.

    According to him, “My concern is the shameless hypocrisy, double standard, dishonesty, shallowness and unprincipled mature of people like Samson Lardy Anyenini,” Mr Woyome wrote in a post on social media.

    He added, “The hypocrisy stem from the fact that, Samson Lardy and his likes, made all the noise, and publicly crucified Waterville BVI and Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, because a certain CAN 2008 Contract between Government of Ghana and Waterville BVI was not sent to Parliament for Approval.”

    Between 2017 and 2020, the Akufo-Addo government pursued Alfred Agbesi Woyome for the refund of a Gh¢51 million judgment debt paid to him by the State over the abrogation of a contract with Waterville BVI, a construction company. Woyome had provided financial engineering services for Waterville, which had won a contract to build stadia for Ghana to host the CAN 2008 football tournament.

    The government’s pursuit of Woyome was based on a 2014 Supreme Court judgment that declared him not entitled to the money because the Waterville contract, through which he claimed payment for his services, was illegal as it had not been approved by Parliament.

    In his defense, Woyome and his legal team argued that the responsibility for seeking parliamentary approval lay with the government and not with him or Waterville. However, the court dismissed this argument.

    Regarding the recent controversy over the revenue assurance contract awarded to Strategic Mobilization Limited (SML), which reportedly has connections to individuals within the government, lawyer Sampson Lardy Anyenini commented that SML should not be blamed for the lack of parliamentary approval for the contract.

    “How come Samson Lardy Anyenini believe and blame Waterville/Woyome for not seeking Parliamentary Approval, but accepts that SML cannot be faulted or blamed for their contract not going to Parliament for Approval?” Mr. Woyome asked.

    According to him, “It was on the basis of the said void contract (as determined by the Supreme Court) that the Supreme Court ordered Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome to the State even though he was in no form of shape linked to the 2006 Contract between GoG and Waterville BVI. In fact, Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s claim for which he got a default judgment was for services he rendered to GoG in 2005, and NOTHING in relation to the supppsed 2006 Contract.”

  • Flashback: “They have freed the thief called Woyome!” – Rawlings fumes at prosecutors

    Flashback: “They have freed the thief called Woyome!” – Rawlings fumes at prosecutors

    Former president Jerry John Rawlings criticised state prosecutors for their sloppy handling of businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s Gh¢51.2 million judgement debt case, resulting in his acquittal and discharge.

    The prolonged legal battle concluded on Thursday in an Accra High Court, with Judge John Ajet-Nassam ruling that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to implicate the prominent National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier.

    Woyome left the courtroom a free man after the judge cleared him of charges related to causing financial loss to the state and defrauding by false pretence.

    The judge expressed doubts about the prosecution’s case, particularly noting their failure to produce key witnesses, Betty Mould-Iddrisu and Ebo Barton Oduro, who held positions of attorney general and deputy, respectively, at the time the judgement debt was paid.

    Rawlings, who described Woyome as a “thief,” is unhappy about the outcome of the case, adding that Ghanaians are “not serious” when it comes to the “fight against corruption.”.

    “This is the extent of corruption I keep talking about. I just read that they have freed the thief called [Alfred] Woyome. Why, because his accomplices [Betty Mould-Iddrisu and one other] in government were not produced in court for interrogation to provide vital evidence to incriminate him,” the ex-military leader told the family of one Isaac Tetteh when they called on him at his residence to inform him about the death of their loved one.

    He added: “Because his collaborators were untouched, he was also freed. The rot in government keeps aggravating. The Attorney General had let loose the collaborators so how can Woyome be prosecuted?

    “We are not serious! Is that how to fight corruption? They are rather holding key positions in the party. Are we so stupid? What is wrong with our support base, can’t they observe what is going on?”

    Meanwhile, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu told Starr News on the eve of Thursday’s ruling that she did nothing untoward in the payment of the judgement debt to Mr Woyome.

  • Ensure Woyome pays what he owes to the state – Martin Kpebu to AG

    Ensure Woyome pays what he owes to the state – Martin Kpebu to AG

    Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has raised concerns about businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s threats to sue the General Legal Council (GLC) over the disbarment of legal practitioner Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh.

    Woyome’s threat came after the GLC took action against Nerquaye-Tetteh for professional misconduct.

    Mr Kpebu has highlighted Woyome’s willingness to invest in legal action, indicating substantial resources. He suggests that the government should reciprocate by pursuing the payment of outstanding debts owed to the state.

    Alfred Agbesi Woyome, a businessman

    Speaking to Citi News, Kpebu emphasized the need for the Attorney General to take steps to compel Woyome to settle the debts owed to the state.

    “Once you find Woyome willing to extend resources to Nerquaye-Tetteh, the immediate point that jumps at me is that, where is the balance of the money that Woyome owes to the state? It is our money—money that we badly need to eliminate the myriad of social problems—that we have to demand that Woyome return every Cedi. Now that Woyome has money to pay lawyers to court to support Nerquaye-Tetteh, this should be the time that the Attorney General should also go after him to return the monies, and since he has money with him, he should be willing to pay.”

    Background

    A Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Attorney-General, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, has been disbarred as a lawyer by the General Legal Council (GLC) for collecting GH¢400,000 from businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome in 2011.

    Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh has been disbarred, meaning he can no longer practice as a lawyer in Ghana. The Disciplinary Committee of the GLC, the regulatory body of the legal profession, found him guilty of professional misconduct under Rule 2(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 (L.I. 613).

    In a notice dated January 31, 2024, the GLC stated that while defending the state against a suit by Woyome in 2011, Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh personally caused the direct transfer of an amount of GH¢400,000 from Mr. Woyome to the bank account of his wife.

    The GLC further stated that Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh could not offer any reasonable explanation for the said transfer of the GH¢400,000 into his wife’s bank account from Mr. Woyome.

    According to the GLC, the conduct of Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh had adversely affected “the “dignity and high standing of the legal profession.”

  • We are not responsible for disbarment of Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh – Attorney General’s Office

    We are not responsible for disbarment of Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh – Attorney General’s Office

    The Attorney General’s Office has denied involvement in the disbarment of Chief State Attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, who lost his legal license due to allegations of receiving GH¢400,000 from businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome in 2011.

    The General Legal Council (GLC) found Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh guilty of professional misconduct for facilitating the transfer of the funds from Woyome to his wife’s bank account while representing the state against a lawsuit by Woyome.

    The GLC stated that Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the transfer, which negatively impacted the legal profession’s dignity and prestige.

    However, Woyome accused the Attorney General’s Office of orchestrating the disbarment, which the office vehemently denied.

    Isaac Wilberforce Mensah, the spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, clarified during an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM that the office lacks the authority to disbar anyone and emphasized that there is no direct connection between the office and the incident in question.

    “I think that statement is unfortunate, with the greatest of respect to Alfred Agbesi Woyome in this regard because the AG is not the one who came out with this ruling from the GLC. The AG whether by itself or by the office or even by the prosecution’s division has not written any legal opinion concerning the former chief state
    in question. There is absolutely no direct connection between this office and the incident which is currently in the media.”

    “Whether or not he has been disbarred is not a power that the AG whether as a person, or office or as a constitutional body even possesses. Nobody in this office can disbar a person. So I don’t know where this subtle attack is coming from,” he stated.

    Mr. Woyome has threatened to sue the General Legal Council (GLC) for disqualifying Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh, alleging that the Council’s actions constitute contempt of court. Mr. Woyome, a central figure in the GH¢51 million Waterville judgment debt case, argued that judicial decisions have cleared him and anyone else involved in the contract of any misconduct.

    He admitted to transferring GH¢400,000 to Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife but insisted that it was purely on humanitarian grounds.

    Thank God that we have got all the judgments. Thank God that I am waiting for the Supreme Court to do the honourable thing by departing away from the so-called linking me to something that I am not part of…I can say that I pledge on my honour that I will remain very active to make sure that the institution of government do the right thing. And I want to announce here that I am taking the General Legal Council (GLC) to court early next week.”

    “We will pursue GLC and the AG for them to stop what they are doing…Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife’s money that I sent to her was on the basis of what I do at WOFA, Wilmy Foundation for Africa. I pay fees and pay other things for many people across the whole African country. When I work, that is what I use my money for, philanthropy,” he stated.

  • I did not pay disbarred Chief State Attorney bribe – Woyome

    I did not pay disbarred Chief State Attorney bribe – Woyome

    Businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome is contesting the General Legal Council’s (GLC) decision to disbar Chief State Attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh over the transfer of GH¢400,000 into his wife’s bank account.

    Mr. Woyome stated to the media on Friday, February 16, that he has never paid and will never pay a bribe, emphasizing that the state attorney is being unfairly treated.

    “I want you to understand one thing that I have been law-abiding in this country. I’ve never given a bribe or taken a bribe because I’ve never been in a government position neither have I benefited from any government money whatsoever in any government,” he said.

    Mr. Woyome’s comments follow the disbarment of Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh by the GLC for receiving GH¢400,000 from him in 2011. The GLC’s notice dated January 31, 2024, stated that while defending the state against a suit by Mr. Woyome in 2011, Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh facilitated the transfer of GH¢400,000 from Mr. Woyome to his wife’s bank account.

    The GLC found that Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh could not provide a reasonable explanation for this transfer. However, Mr. Woyome contends that the money was a loan he gave to Mrs. Nerquaye-Tetteh.

    He argues that it is unfair to mistreat the Chief State Attorney, who has contributed significantly to the country’s development.

    “Well, that’s the statement they [GLC] had made and that is the cost for which somebody’s son, somebody’s higher working individual who has worked for all the political parties including Nana Addo and other people.

    “He has worked very hard for Ghana and has saved Ghana a lot of money by going outside to fight against judgment debt and winning them. This is what is said when to punish this gentleman for nothing he has done.”

    Mr. Woyome emphasized that the GLC’s statement regarding Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh’s conduct is regrettable. He acknowledged that the GLC is a statutory body responsible for regulating the conduct of practicing lawyers, including those on the bench.

    “But to say anything further I will say that the General Legal Council is not a law court. It’s a civil judicial body which has equivalence to the High Court of Ghana.

    “And its decisions can be challenged and its decisions ought to be challenged to make sure that the law and our own freedom and justice, which is the basis on which the Constitution is written, is respected,” he said.

    He also disclosed that he tried to participate in the GLC case against Mr. Tetteh, but his request was denied.

  • Why punish Chief State Attorney for no crime? – Woyome to GLC

    Why punish Chief State Attorney for no crime? – Woyome to GLC

    The businessman at the centre of the GH¢51 million Waterville judgment debt case, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, has questioned the rationale behind General Legal Council (GLC) punishing the Chief State Attorney, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh.

    According to Woyome, Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh did no crime, therefore the actions taken against the attorney are unjustified.

    The GLC disbarred Nerquaye-Tetteh based on a violation of Rule 2(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 (L.I. 613). This decision effectively bars Nerquaye-Tetteh from practicing law in Ghana for the remainder of his career.

    The disciplinary action originates from a 2011 incident where, during his representation of the state in a lawsuit initiated by Alfred Agbesi Woyome, Nerquaye-Tetteh orchestrated the transfer of GH¢400,000 from Woyome to his wife’s bank account. The GLC found Nerquaye-Tetteh’s failure to provide a reasonable explanation for this transfer as grounds for allegations of professional misconduct.

    In a notice dated January 31, 2024, the GLC detailed the case, emphasizing the detrimental impact of Nerquaye-Tetteh’s actions on the legal profession’s dignity and reputation.

    The notice underscored the unacceptability of such conduct, particularly given Nerquaye-Tetteh’s role as a Chief State Attorney.

    Signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Koranteng, the notice formally disbars Nerquaye-Tetteh from practicing law and prohibits him from representing himself as a lawyer or offering legal services to the public.

    The GLC’s revocation of Nerquaye-Tetteh’s practicing license underscores the gravity of the misconduct and reflects the council’s commitment to maintaining professional standards in the legal field.

    In a statement to reporters on Friday, February 16, Woyome denied accusations of bribing the senior state attorney, asserting his law-abiding nature.

    He clarified that Nerquaye-Tetteh never handled his file, emphasizing a judgment that absolves anyone claiming illegal payment to Woyome.

    Woyome questioned the Attorney General’s continued tarnishing of his image and highlighted that Nerquaye-Tetteh’s involvement was limited, only deputizing in court when necessary, and after government negotiation.

    “I want you to understand one thing that I have been law-abiding in this country. I’ve never given a bribe or taken a bribe, because even I’ve never been in a government position neither have I benefited from any government money whatsoever in any government. My brief stake in the government of Atta Mills as a board chairman and also as appointment committee member. Even fuel coupons I never accepted.”

    “We have this judgement that bars anybody that says that Alfred Woyome was illegally paid. Bars anybody that says that Nerquaye-Tetteh or anybody that was involved in this transaction from Kufuor’s time to the NDC’s time has done something wrong.

    “On what basis is the Attorney General still tarnishing the image of a person for all these years. If you read deeply, you’ll realise that Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh never handled my file. The only time Nerquaye-Tetteh was sent to court was when there was somebody out and he went to deputize and even that one it was after the government negotiation.

    “Every payment made was by court order and the decision was taken in the highest arm of government from the castle.

    “Every letter and every decision was copied to the then President, Chief of Staff and other people. How then can just a Chief State Attorney take a decision; in some of the meetings he was not even there,” he further explained.

    Background:

    The General Legal Council, in a notice dated January 31, 2024, and signed by Judicial Secretary Justice Cynthia Pamela Koranteng, revoked Nerquaye-Tetteh’s license due to professional misconduct.

    The council found him guilty under Rule 2(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 (L.I. 613). Nerquaye-Tetteh oversaw the direct transfer of GH¢400,000 from Woyome to his wife’s account while representing the state in a 2011 lawsuit.

    The GLC stated that he failed to provide a plausible rationale for the transfer, adversely affecting the “dignity and high standing of the legal profession.” Nerquaye-Tetteh is barred from practicing law in Ghana.



  • My file was never handled by Nerquaye-Tetteh – Woyome

    My file was never handled by Nerquaye-Tetteh – Woyome

    Central figure in the GH¢51 million Waterville judgment debt case, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, has criticized the General Legal Council for the expulsion of senior state attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh.

    This followed the transfer of GH¢400,000 into Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh’s wife’s bank account.

    In a statement to reporters on Friday, February 16, Woyome denied accusations of bribing the senior state attorney, asserting his law-abiding nature.

    He clarified that Nerquaye-Tetteh never handled his file, emphasizing a judgment that absolves anyone claiming illegal payment to Woyome.

    Woyome questioned the Attorney General’s continued tarnishing of his image and highlighted that Nerquaye-Tetteh’s involvement was limited, only deputizing in court when necessary, and after government negotiation.

    “I want you to understand one thing that I have been law-abiding in this country. I’ve never given a bribe or taken a bribe, because even I’ve never been in a government position neither have I benefited from any government money whatsoever in any government. My brief stake in the government of Atta Mills as a board chairman and also as appointment committee member. Even fuel coupons I never accepted.”

    “We have this judgement that bars anybody that says that Alfred Woyome was illegally paid. Bars anybody that says that Nerquaye-Tetteh or anybody that was involved in this transaction from Kufuor’s time to the NDC’s time has done something wrong.

    “On what basis is the Attorney General still tarnishing the image of a person for all these years. If you read deeply, you’ll realise that Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh never handled my file. The only time Nerquaye-Tetteh was sent to court was when there was somebody out and he went to deputize and even that one it was after the government negotiation.

    “Every payment made was by court order and the decision was taken in the highest arm of government from the castle.

    “Every letter and every decision was copied to the then President, Chief of Staff and other people. How then can just a Chief State Attorney take a decision; in some of the meetings he was not even there,” he further explained.

    Background:

    The General Legal Council, in a notice dated January 31, 2024, and signed by Judicial Secretary Justice Cynthia Pamela Koranteng, revoked Nerquaye-Tetteh’s license due to professional misconduct.

    The council found him guilty under Rule 2(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 (L.I. 613). Nerquaye-Tetteh oversaw the direct transfer of GH¢400,000 from Woyome to his wife’s account while representing the state in a 2011 lawsuit.

    The GLC stated that he failed to provide a plausible rationale for the transfer, adversely affecting the “dignity and high standing of the legal profession.” Nerquaye-Tetteh is barred from practicing law in Ghana.

  • Chief State Attorney disbarred by GLC for accepting GHC400,000 ‘bribe’ from Woyome 

    Chief State Attorney disbarred by GLC for accepting GHC400,000 ‘bribe’ from Woyome 

    A Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Attorney-General, Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, has been disbarred as a lawyer by the General Legal Council (GLC) for collecting GH¢400,000 from businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome in 2011.

    Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh has been disbarred, meaning he can no longer practice as a lawyer in Ghana. The Disciplinary Committee of the GLC, the regulatory body of the legal profession, found him guilty of professional misconduct under Rule 2(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette) Rules, 1969 (L.I. 613).

    In a notice dated January 31, 2024, the GLC stated that while defending the state against a suit by Woyome in 2011, Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh personally caused the direct transfer of an amount of GH¢400,000 from Mr. Woyome to the bank account of his wife.

    The GLC further stated that Mr. Nerquaye-Tetteh could not offer any reasonable explanation for the said transfer of the GH¢400,000 into his wife’s bank account from Mr. Woyome.

    According to the GLC, the conduct of Mr Nerquaye-Tetteh had adversely affected “the “dignity and high standing of the legal profession.”

    “That, he, as a lawyer and a Chief State Attorney, having acted as counsel for the State in the case, Alfred Agbesi Woyome vrs. Attorney General & Anor had an amount of Four Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢400,000.00) transferred directly from Mr Alfred Woyome into the bank account of his wife, Mrs. Gifty Nerquaye-Tetteh without any reasonable explanation; a conduct or act that adversely affects the dignity and high standing of the legal profession.”

    “SAMUEL NERQUAYE-TETTEH shall not hold himself out as a lawyer or attend chambers or render or purport to render any professional legal services to the public. The practicing licence of Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh is hereby withdrawn forthwith,” the notice said.

    The notice was signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Koranteng.

  • Adzahlis death: Woyome urges govt to resource Sogakope police

    Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Volta Caucus have appealed to the Minister of Interior and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to beef up police presence in the South Tongu District.

    The appeal followed the murder of Marcus Mawutor Adzahli, Assemblyman for the Sogakope Electoral Area a couple of weeks ago.

    They also called for swift and independent investigation into the crime was necessary to bring the perpetrators to book.

    Mr Kobena Mensah Woyome, MP for South Tongu, speaking at a news conference in Accra, said justice would be served with the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators to allow calm to return the area.

    Mr. Adzahli was murdered during the late hours of Sunday, 1st March 2020. He left behind a wife and two daughters.

    He was attacked by unknown people, some of who broke through his door, while others were shooting in order to deter the neighbours from coming out to rescue him.

    Mr Woyome urged the Minister and the IGP to consider posting more men to the district and to supply them with the requisite logistics to make policing of the people and foreign nationals more effective.

    He said Sogakope was one of the strategic areas in the Volta Region as it was the route for numerous transistors from neighboring Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameron among others.

    He said the movements come with huge security challenges, which demanded vigilance on the part of the Police and National Security operatives.

    Mr Woyome also ascribed the murder of the Assemblyman to breakdown of security in the district, adding, “This is due to the fact that despite the distress call made to the District Police Commander, it took almost two hours for a patrol team to be dispatched to the scene.”

    He said the incident exposed the lack of the necessary resources and high sense of professionalism to fight crime, saying that it was like Ghanaian Police Service feared for their own lives.

    He therefore appealed to government to take a critical look at the situation and resource the police to protect the citizens better.

    Some of the Volta Caucus MPs present at the conference included; Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, Mr Alexander Hottordze, MP for Central Tongu, Mr Kwasi Bedzra, MP for HO West, Mr Benjamin Kpodo, MP for Ho Central and Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandor, MP for Juaboso.

    Source: GNA