The failure of the Attorney- General’s (A-G’s) Department to defend a case in which a timber merchant, Nana Emmanuel Woode, sued the state for confiscating his two timber companies led to the payment of GHȻ 3.4 million to him in 2006.
The state confiscated Holex Ghana Limited and Priorities Ghana Limited, timber companies that were located in Akim Oda in the Eastern Region and belonged to Nana Woode, on suspicion that managers of the companies were engaged in underhand dealings.
Counsel for the Judgement Debt Commission, Mr Dometi Kofi Sokpor, said Nana Woode sued the A-G for the confiscation of his companies.
He said the A-G did not defend the case and Nana Woode had a default judgement in 2006.
Mr Sokpor, who was questioning the Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Mr Asakkua Agambila, on the payment of the compensation,yesterday said Nana Woode was paid the GHȻ 3,400,000 in full in 2006.
For his part, the Sole Commissioner, Mr Justice Apau, referred to a letter dated December 29, 2006 and written by the Controller and Accountant- General’s Department (CAGD) directing the Banking Department of the Bank of Ghana to effect the payment to Nana Woode.
He said the letter was copied to the DIC.
Mr Agambila said the DIC was not aware of Nana Woode’s case against the state or the payment of the judgement debt.
He said he was yet to locate the letter copied to the DIC by the CAGD for the payment of the compensation to Nana Woode. He explained that Holex and Priorities were never listed for divestiture.
He said upon his checks, he realised that the two companies were confiscated at the time of the payment of the judgement debt.He said the Confiscated Assets Committee could, therefore, have better particulars on the issue.
Mr Agambila, therefore, suggested to the commission to get in touch with the Confiscated Assets Committee, through its scheduled officer who was stationed at the Castle, Osu in Accra, for more information.
Justice Apau agreed with that suggestion and said the commission would invite a representative of the Confiscated Assets Committee to answer questions on the issue.
