Court suspends ruling on ownership of Woyome’s properties

The Supreme Court has put on hold a ruling on the rightful ownership of some properties earmarked for sale by the state said to belong to businessman, Alfred Woyome.

The ruling was put on hold by Justice Alfred Benin following a review application filed Alfred Woyome for the reversal of a ruling by a single judge on 3rd December 2018.

There has been litigation between receivers of defunct UT bank and the state over who owns the properties.

While the receivers of the defunct bank are claiming ownership of the properties due to a loan default by Mr. Woyome, the state argues that the position of the bank cannot be true. They further accused the receivers of colluding with Mr. Woyome to hide some of his properties.

The properties in question include a quarry in the Volta Region and residential facilities at Trasacco and Tesano in Accra.

The intended sale of the properties by the state is to help defray part of the GHc 51 million debt owed it by Mr. Woyome.

The case has been adjourned indefinitely.

Background

The Supreme Court, on July 29, 2014, ordered Woyome to refund GH¢51.2 million to the state because he got the money out of unconstitutional and invalid contracts between the state and Waterville Holdings Limited in 2006 for the construction of stadia for the 2008 African Cup of Nations.

Woyome went to the International Court of Arbitration to contest the court’s decision after reneging on his promise to the Supreme Court to pay the money by the end of December 2015.

On March 1, 2016, Woyome prayed the court to give him three years to pay back the money, but the court declined to grant his wish.

The court had, in the 2014 review decision, held that the contracts upon which Woyome made and received the claim were in contravention of Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana which requires such contracts to be laid before and approved by Parliament.

Read Full Story