Court of Appeal to hear state’s appeal on Woyome December 8
Hearing of the appeal by the State to overturn the decision by the High Court to exonerate businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome of any wrongdoing in the award of the GH¢51.2 million judgement is to begin at the Court of Appeal on December 8, 2015.
Advertisement
The date was fixed yesterday after the Court of Appeal adjourned the case following the absence of one of the judges who was said to be indisposed.
The state, represented by the acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, as well as Woyome, accompanied by his wife and sympathisers, was present at the sitting.
However, the parties were later informed privately that the three-member panel could not be properly constituted due to the absence of one of the judges.
Notice of appeal
On March 13, 2015, the Attorney-General’s (A-G) Department filed a notice of appeal to overturn the High Court’s decision.
According to the state, the judgement acquitting and discharging Woyome for the offences of defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state should be set aside.
“The judge erred in law when he stated that the prosecution woefully failed to establish a case against the accused when he had established a prima facie case against him,” the notice of appeal said.
It stated further that the judgement could not be supported, having regard to the evidence adduced at the trial.
Background
Woyome was on Thursday, March 12, 2015, acquitted and discharged by the High Court on two counts of defrauding by false pretence and causing financial loss to the state.
In his judgement, the presiding judge, Mr Justice John Ajet-Nasam, took on the A-G’s Department for paying GH¢51.2 million to Woyome in 2010 only to turn around to prosecute him for fraud.
According to the judge, the prosecution failed to prove the ingredients of fraud to warrant the court’s conviction of Woyome.