Osafo Marfo discharged in Woyome case

Mr Yaw Osafo Marfo, former Minister of Education and Sports under the NPP Government was on Monday discharged by the Financial Court in Accra.

This was after he was crossed-examined by the lawyers of Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the businessman involved in the GH¢51.2 million judgment debt.

Mr Osafo Marfo, who is a prosecution witness in the case, insisted that neither Woyome nor his company contributed any money to the construction of the four stadia in the country for CAN 2008.

Alfred Woyome is standing trial for defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the State.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted a GH¢20 million bail with three sureties to be justified.

Mr Osafo Marfo said that the four stadia in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi were funded by the government of Ghana and with a loan from Barclays Bank.

Though the Lawyers of Woyome tendered in several documents, they were rejected by the witness with the explanation they covered funding for health related matters and had nothing to do with the building of the stadia.

Mr Osafo Marfo said that new procurement law emphasized the need for the procurement entity to look at the credibility, viability and timeliness of the various companies tendering for the stadium construction.

He said even though the Central Tender Review Board  made their recommendation to the procurement entity, the Ministry of Education and Sports had to look at the timeliness since the government had to work within time to get the stadia project underway.

Mr Osafo Marfo said the Board gave government the option to use its own resources for the project and the government chose that alternative since time was not on its side regarding the completion of the four stadia.

Mr Osafo Marfo insisted that the tendering process, which the accused claim was abrogated, had not been concluded, so the issue of the termination of a contract did not arise.

He said no company was issued with a letter by the procurement entity because the procurement process was not concluded.

Mr Osafo Marfo said the letter from VAMED/ M-Powapak indicating that Bank Austria had expressed its support for the project was to testify for the authenticity of the company and not that it had been given the go-head.

Mr Justice John Ajet-Nassam, the trial Judge, adjourned the case to October, 30, 2012 when courts would have returned from legal vacation.

Former Deputy Sports Minister, Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, who has been subpoena by the court, is likely to be the next prosecution witness.

Source: GNA