Corruption scandal

2012 is election year in Ghana and the last thing President John Atta Mills needs is a full blown corruption scandal. But that's the scenario currently unfolding in Ghana.

At the center is Alfred Agbesi Woyome, a businessman and leading financier of Mills' party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Woyome was arrested following an indictment for fraud by the country's Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). He has now been charged with crimes including corrupting public officials over a multi-million dollar payout which a government enquiry alleged he was not entitled to receive.

The payment of 51 million cedis ($29 million, 22 million euros) is said to be related to plans to build stadiums for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that was hosted by Ghana.

Bail 'disproportionately high'

On Tuesday, Woyome was granted bail by the High Court in Accra, as were two other prominent personalities accused of defrauding the state over the payment. They are former Chief State Attorney Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh and Paul Asimenu, a director at the Legal Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

Bail for them was set at 6,000 cedis each, while the sum for Woyome was put at 54 million cedis. This prompted protests from Woyome's lawyers who said the sum was too high.

"It sounds disproportionate," said lawyer David Annan. "We are wondering why there is this disparity because they are all linked to the charge of conspiracy."

For the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the main issue is that the case should come to court soon.

"The most important thing is that our money is lost, we want our money back, it's as simple as that," said Kwadwo Owusu Afriye, the NPP's General Secretary.

Ramifications for elections

Education Minister Betty Mould-Idrissu has resigned over the case. The payments on which the case against Womoye is based were paid while she was in office as Attorney General and Minister for Justice.

The case could have far-reaching ramifications for President Mills. Woyome was seen by many as an NDC pillar and the upcoming trial and possible guilty verdict could open up deep cracks within the party. They may prove difficult to mend ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections due to be held in December.

Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International says Ghana is becoming "more corrupt". Its latest global survey published in December 2011 ranks Ghana at 69 out of 182 countries, down from 62 in 2010.

Author: Susan Houlton (with additional material from Isaac Kaledzi in Accra)
Editor: Mark Caldwell / rm