The Supreme Court has thrown out a review application by businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome, which sought to challenge the court’s earlier decision not to have the ongoing legal proceedings in relation to his GH¢47.2 million debt owed the state moved to the High Court.
In a unanimous decision Wednesday, a three-member panel of the court , presided over by Mr Justice Julius Ansah, with Justices Agnes A. Dordzie and Professor Emmanuel Nii Ashie Kotey as members, dismissed the review application.
On December 3, 2018, the apex court, presided over by a sole justice, Mr Justice Anthony A Benin, overruled an objection raised by counsel for Woyome, Mr Osafo Buabeng.
Mr Buabeng had argued that the ongoing case at the court in which the receivers of the defunct UT bank are claiming certain properties which the A-G said belonged to Woyome should be moved to the High Court.
It was counsel’s argument that since the case was under the High Court (Civil Procedure Rules, 2004, CI 47), hearing the case in the Supreme Court would deny the parties the right to appeal, although CI 47 makes provision for the right of appeal in execution processes.
Mr Justice Benin overruled the objection and held that the Supreme Court had the power to enforce its judgement and, therefore, surrendering its jurisdiction to the High Court would be unconstitutional.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Woyome’s legal team filed for review before the three- member panel, which was dismissed.
The UT Bank, in April 2016, claimed ownership of the two properties at Trasacco in Accra when the state attempted to auction them to defray the GH¢51.2 million the businessman owed the state.
