ALFRED AGBESI WOYOME vs. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL [2018]DLCA4481

Date	2018-03-08
Suit No.	SUIT NO.H1/42/2017
Citation No.	[2018]DLCA4481

V. D. OFOE J. A. (PRESIDING)

S. DZAMEFE J. A.

M. M. AGYEMANG (MRS). J. A.

PETRINA DEFIA FOR APPELLANT

PATIENCE A. LARTEY FOR RESPONDENT

[2018]DLCA4481
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >ALFRED AGBESI WOYOME<o:p></o:p>(APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ATTORNEY GENERAL<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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SUIT
NO.H1/42/2017&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 8TH MARCH, 2018<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>PETRINA DEFIA FOR APPELLANT<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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PATIENCE A. LARTEY FOR
RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p>V. D. OFOE J. A. (PRESIDING), S. DZAMEFE J. A., M. M.
AGYEMANG (MRS). J. A.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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</div>AGYEMANG
JA:<o:p></o:p>On the 8th day of October
2012 the President of the Republic of Ghana in the exercise of his power under
Article 278 (1) (a) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, set up per a
Constitutional Instrument CI 79, the Commission of Inquiry Into Payments From
Public Funds Arising From Judgment Debts And Akin Matters. Justice Yaw Appau JA
(as he then was) was appointed its Sole Commissioner. <o:p></o:p>The terms of reference of
the Commission were: <o:p></o:p>a)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To ascertain the causes of any
inordinate payments made from public funds in satisfaction of judgment debts
since the 1992 Constitution came into force;<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To ascertain the causes of any
inordinate payments from public funds and financial losses arising from
arbitration awards, negotiated settlements and akin processes since the 1992
Constitution came into force, and<o:p></o:p>c)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To make recommendations to the
Government for ensuring that as far as practicable<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The instances where public funds are
utilised to make payments in satisfaction of judgment debts and public debts
arising from akin processes are limited or avoided;<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Government does not incur undue
financial losses when it does business with private persons or institutions.<o:p></o:p>Article 280(1) of the 1992
Constitution required the Commission to:<o:p></o:p>“(a) Make a full, faithful, and
impartial inquiry into any matter specified in the instrument of appointment;<o:p></o:p>(b) Report in writing the result of
the inquiry; and <o:p></o:p>(c) Furnish in the report the reasons
leading to the conclusions stated in the report.”<o:p></o:p>The Commission concluded
its work on 20th May 2015 and its report was submitted to the President on the
21st of May 2015. On the 18th of November 2015, the Government published the
Commission’s report together with a White Paper thereon.<o:p></o:p>The Commission, according
to its report, “delved into twenty-five (25) selected cases of judgment debts
(including arbitration and negotiated settlement awards) that the State had to
pay to individuals/companies/institutions…” <o:p></o:p>One such case involved a
judgment debt paid by the State to one Alfred Agbesi Woyome (the appellant
herein) who brought suit against the Attorney General on the 19th of April
2010. In that suit, the plaintiff by his writ of summons and statement of
claim, sought the following:<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order for the immediate payment of
the sum of GH¢41,811,480,59 being financial engineering costs owed plaintiff by
the Government of Ghana;<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An order for payment of interest on the
said sum from September 2006 till date of final payment;<o:p></o:p>iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; General damages for inconvenience
suffered by plaintiff as a result of the long delay in paying him his fees;<o:p></o:p>iv.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Costs including Solicitor’s fees and
filing fees;<o:p></o:p>v.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Any further or other order(s) as to
this Honourable Court may appear just.<o:p></o:p>The writ of summons was
amended on 4th May 2010 and further amended on 6th May 2010. By this further
amended writ of summons, the plaintiff claimed the following: <o:p></o:p>