The sole commissioner charged with investigating judgment debts paid to various individuals has encountered a major investigative hurdle as key witnesses failed to turn up on the first day of the public hearings. The Chief Director at the Finance Ministry, the Controller and Accountant General, and the Solicitor General all failed to show up. The Solicitor General was the only official of the three to offer an explanation for his absence, sending a Senior State Attorney in his place because he was out of the country. Joy News’ Anny Osabutey, who was present at the hearing, said that Commissioner Yaw Appau is contemplating subpoenaing the witnesses. Auditor General Richard Quartey did appear before Yaw Appau to answer questions on the payments of certain judgment debts. Unable to produce judgment debt records from 1992 to 2012 as he was asked to do, he submitted documents covering the years from 2000 to 2012 instead. Asked whether he was privy to the details of judgment debt payments made to individuals and organisations without legal recourse, he claimed that he did not have access to that information but added that he is aware that judgment debts have become a burden on the state. President John Mahama had charged Justice Yaw Appau to investigate the circumstances surrounding the payment of judgment debts following the many controversial judgment debt payments made to Waterville, Alfred Woyome, and others.