SOLICITOR-GENERAL APPEARS BEFORE JUDGEMENT DEBT COMMISSION

Justice Yaw Apau is the Sole-Commissioner investigating the payment of Judgement Debts 

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday April 9, 2013

Solicitor-General Ama Abuakwaa Gaisie yesterday appeared before the Sole-Commissioner investigating the payment of Judgement Debts with more evidence.

She handed over a list detailing the notice of intention filed by individuals and companies that are claiming judgement debt from the government.

The ‘Commission of Enquiry into the payment of Judgement Debt and Akin’ under C.I. 79 to investigate the frivolous and dubious payments of huge monies to undeserving individuals and companies, was appointed by President John Dramani Mahama after public uproar over the payments in what has now come to be termed as Judgement Debts (JD).

Notable among them were payments made to CP (€94 million) and the never-ending case of GH¢51.2million parted to the self-styled National Democratic Candidate (NDC) financier, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, both of which many believed were dubious and frivolous.

Led in evidence by Dometi Kofi Sorkpor counsel for the commission, the Solicitor-General told the commission presided over by Justice Yaw Apau of the Court of Appeal that also provided the commission with files of companies that are claiming judgement debt from the government.

Documents detailing the case between Mahogany Furniture Company versus Attorney-General as well as Sweater & Sox versus Attorney-General were submitted to the commission while the commission acknowledged that the files of  Western Veneer & Lumber Limited versus Attorney-General and Margins Group Limited versus Attorney-General was already in its possession.

The Solicitor-General said that her department had not completed the search for documents covering the notice of intention to sue for judgement debts saying “we have collated a good number of them but we are still searching our archives to get more for the commission.”

When asked by Justice Apau whether those who filed the notice of intention were able to sue finally, she said “we do not have the number yet. We are compiling them separately and will let the commission know about it.”

She told the commission that the AGs Department is also working on situations where there were other prospective claimants whose letters to the various ministries did not clearly state their intentions to sue but along the line gave the impressions that they were most likely to file suits for judgement debts.

Justice Apau then told the Solicitor-General not to bother to come to the commission personally saying “you do not have to always appear before the commission personally. You can notify us as and when you get more documents so that we shall receive it and acknowledge receipts accordingly.”

After the Registrar-General came Helen Akpene Awo Ziwu, a Principal State Attorney at the Registrar-General’s Department who due to miscommunication could give detailed evidence.

The commission had subpoenaed the Registrar-General or his/her representative to produce the files of about 17 companies but the witness rather responded to a second subpoena requesting the files of Waterville Holdings BVI Limited.

“Unfortunately, I have only one company which is Waterville Holdings BVI Limited. I do not have the files for the others because it was not brought to my attention,” Awo Ziwu told the commission.

The commission adjourned the Registrar-General’s testimony to April 17 and requested the Chief Director of Ministry of Defence who was not present at the hearing yesterday to appear before it on April 16.

Sitting continues on April 15.