It is a fool whose own tomatoes are sold to him but the knot tied by a wiseman cannot be undone by a fool. The one who asks questions doesn't lose his way but When you go to a town and you see the chief of the town is in handcuffs, you do not ask whether everything is alright in that town. The name Alfred Agbesi Woyome is synonymous with one thing; outwitting the state of Ghana to defraud the poor people to the sum of GHC52.8 million. This has never happened in the 55-year old history of Ghana. Indeed to Woyome someone in Ghana today is to say to 419 that person. The Woyomegate scandal facilitated by the Atta-Mills-led administration brought to the this otherwise an obscure Voltarian to the public limelight.
What many of us of course may never know is the life journeys this smart guy has travelled. But as it may, now even his coughing is newsworthy and so his every act and move is closely monitored by news-hungry paparazzi. Thus it came as no surprise that this Woyome man is carving a niche for himself as having a penchant for litigating. Sometime in late January and early February 2012, it emerged that 'Deacon Alfred' had lost a legal tussle with his former church. He had sued the for reimbursement of amounts of money he claimed he had loaned or advanced to the church when he was a leader. He had apparently seeking his pound of flesh having been ex-communicated or for a want of a better word, their relationship went sour.
Then in a classic case of Ghanaians prefer to term 'thiefman thief thiefman, we just learnt that an Accra Commercial Court is hearing of a spat between Mr. Woyome and Mr. Raymond Archer, editor, over the ownership structure of Focal Media organisation, publisher and owner of The Enquirer newspaper. The newspaper company, Focal Media was incorporated in 2005 with Archer owning 49 per cent shares.
Woyome claims he owns 51 per cent shares in the newspaper but somehow, his shares have been divested, making Archer the 100 per cent owner of the company.
He is thus praying the court to recognise the alleged initial ownership structure and rule in his favour.
According to Woyome, at the time of the incorporation, he was then working at the Austrian Consulate which prevented him from any direct involvement in private commercial business.
He therefore registered his 51 per cent shares in the name of a lawyer, Mr. Babanawo.
Woyome claims that somehow the newspaper editor took custody of his 51 per cent shares without his knowledge. According to him, Archer has failed to account for the business. He claims Archer having secured the 100 per cent shares proceeded to procure a loan from Stanbic Bank using his company as a collateral.
Woyome is hoping that the court will rule in his favour and restore his interest in the company.
Raymond Archer was not present in court but was represented by his lawyer, Tony Lithur whilst Woyome was in court with his lawyer Chris Coker. They will return to court to argue their respective cases later. However, I can bet my last one Ghana Pesewa that every Tom, Dick and Harry in Ghana is eagerly awaiting the determination of this case. The intense interest is undoubtedly not focused on the truth, but who will emerge as the most witty business partner in Ghana. This case though low regarding the quantum of financial resources at stake compared to the GHC51.8 million so-called judgment debt, his the propensity to overshadow the Republic vs Woyome case because of the interest on which brain is most witty. Mind you this is not the first time this is happening in the media. In the late 1990s, similar legal tussle ensued between Hon. Nicholas Agyei-Kyeremeh aka General (former MP for Dormaa 1993-2001; mind you this was before the constituency was split in two as East and West) and Fred Agyeman of Freddie's Corner fame over the ownership structure of Sky Broadcasting Limited, operator of Sky 96.7 FM based in Sunyani, Brong Ahafo Region. The then MP too because of his political exposure, took a back seat and low profile in the management and running of the radio station only to wake up one to find that Freddie and his family were having 100% ownership of the media. The court ruled that Freddie should be paid off and thus kicked out of the business.
Presently, we can only wait and see whether Archer will be able to wrestle the infamous title of being the most witty person in Ghana from Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome by Woyomising Mr. Woyome out of Focal Media and retain his 100% ownership of The Enquirer newspaper. Which thiefman will thief thiefman and who go pay the pain? "Aboa bi b¢ka wo a, ¢firi wo ntoma mu" (If a bug bites you, it's from the inside of your cloth) enti "Obi s¡ ne gya hye wo a, wos¡ wo de¢ hy¢ ne turum" (If someone lights a fire and burns you, you light your fire and shove it into their ass).
One lesson to bear in mind about the world of business is that honesty in business is a rare gem and almost an extinct specie that only exist in lexicon. Honesty in business nowadays is considered a relic of the past, and those who try to practice it are doomed to failure. People's perception of honesty has more to do with what they can get away with legally than with what is actually the truth.
