The Financial Division of the Fast Track High Court Thursday empowered the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to freeze all bank accounts and financial assets of Alfred Agbesi Woyome. The court had, earlier in January, granted an order for EOCO to freeze Woyome's account at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB). Following new developments in the case, EOCO sought a review of that order to enable it to freeze all his financial assets and bank accounts, which application the court upheld. Woyome, a businessman, is at the centre of a GH¢51.2 million judgement debt payment. Ms Diana Adu Anane, counsel for EOCO, had prayed that the order had become relevant because investigations into the matter had revealed that apart from the ADB account into which the judgement debt. had been paid, Woyome had other bank accounts and financial assets which the state needed to freeze. She said the state paid the money based on fraudulent misrepresentations by Mr Woyome. But counsel for Woyome opposed the move by EOCO, saying that it was procedurally wrong, since it related to civil matters only and not criminal matters. According to the court, the averments of the state were not denied by Mr Woyome and the fact that he was being investigated in connection with the payments was enough ground to grant the motion. It said that EOCO was mandated by law to investigate all cases of financial malfeasance, tax fraud, Money laundering, as well as financial and economic loss, among others. Woyome and three others are standing trial for their role in the payment of the GH¢51.2 million judgement debt to him. The others are Samuel Nerquaye-Tetteh, a Chief State Attorney; Paul Asimenu, the Director of Legal Services at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and Mrs Gifty Nerquaye-Tetteh, Nerquaye-Tetteh's wife. Woyome has pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretence and corrupting a public officer and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢20 million, with three sureties to be justified. Mrs Nerquaye-Tetteh has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢500,000, with two sureties, and also ordered to report herself to the police twice a week. Nerquaye-Tetteh is charged with two counts of conspiracy and corruption of a public officer and has pleaded not guilty to the offence, while his wife faces one count of abetment of crime. Asimenu, on the other hand, has pleaded not guilty to one count of abetment of crime. Nerquaye-Tetteh and Asimenu have also been granted bail in the sum of GH¢6,000 with two sureties each.