Why Cheddar Is Asking London Court to Overturn US$14.9m Judgment Against Him

Ghanaian businessman and political figure Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar, has challenged a US$14.9 million judgment against him in a London court, alleging that a document central to the case was forged.

Bediako has petitioned the High Court in London to set aside a January 2025 judgment secured by Cola Holdings, a company associated with his business partner, Azad Cola.

According to a report by The Times on November 8, 2026, Bediako argues that the document used to establish his liability for part of a loan repayment was not genuinely signed by him.

The dispute centres on a deed of indemnity dated January 18, 2018, which Cola Holdings says obligated Bediako to repay his share of a loan obtained to finance a property development project in Accra.

However, in his latest legal challenge, Bediako has disputed the authenticity of the document, maintaining that he was in Nigeria at the time it was purportedly signed.

He has suggested that an electronic copy of his signature may have been used without his knowledge or authorisation.

The document also contains a witness signature attributed to his executive assistant at the time.

Cola Holdings is a London-based hotel and property company owned by the Cola family. The company owns the St Regis hotel in Mayfair, formerly known as the Westbury.

Its managing director, Azad Cola, has reportedly maintained a business relationship with Bediako since around 2009.

The two businessmen are equal shareholders in Kensington Residential Partners 1 Ltd (KRP 1), the company responsible for the development of No. 1 Oxford Street, a 108-unit serviced apartment complex in Osu, Accra.

Each businessman holds a 50 per cent interest in the company.

The project was partly financed through an US$18 million loan arranged by the Cola family through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-sector financing arm of the World Bank.

Following the property’s opening in December 2019, its management reportedly encountered difficulties generating sufficient revenue to service the loan, particularly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IFC subsequently demanded repayment in April 2023.

Cola Holdings maintains that it guaranteed the facility, paid off the outstanding debt and assumed the IFC’s rights as a creditor.

The company argues that Bediako is obligated to settle his portion of the debt under the disputed deed of indemnity.

The disagreement resulted in a judgment by an English court on January 23, 2025, ordering Bediako to pay US$14,928,314.70, together with annual interest of eight per cent.

Bediako has consistently denied owing Cola Holdings any money. In a statement issued in January, he rejected claims that he had obtained a loan from the company or received funds from it.

He has also attributed the outcome of the London proceedings to the alleged failure of his former UK legal representatives to adequately defend him, claiming they did not file the necessary court processes in response to the action.

The dispute has extended to Ghana’s judicial system, where Bediako has challenged Cola Holdings’ decision to pursue legal action against both him and KRP 1 over the same outstanding debt.

He contends that the company failed to disclose to the English court that it had separately initiated proceedings against KRP 1 in Ghana.

Bediako argues that the alleged omission amounted to a misrepresentation intended to enable the company to recover the same debt from multiple parties.

Despite his objections, the Ghanaian courts have so far permitted Cola Holdings to proceed with efforts to enforce the London judgment.

The judgment was registered in Ghana on May 20, 2025. However, on November 27, 2025, the Commercial Division of the High Court dismissed Bediako’s application to have the registration set aside.

His subsequent attempt to suspend enforcement proceedings while pursuing an appeal also failed.

On July 27, 2026, Justice Doris Awuah Dabanka-Bekoe dismissed the application and awarded GH¢20,000 in costs against him.

The legal dispute has also had significant implications for the operations of No. 1 Oxford Street.

On July 23, a court-appointed receiver, Nii Amanor Dodoo, took control of the property with police assistance as part of the enforcement process.

However, on August 21, 2026, Justice John-Mark Nuku Alifo overturned the takeover, ruling that the procedure had breached the Court of Appeal’s rules.

The judge consequently directed that control of the property be restored to KRP 1.

Both the receiver and Cola Holdings have since challenged the ruling.

The Times further reported that No. 1 Oxford Street has since ceased operations, with a notice displayed at the premises informing the public that it is unable to accept reservations due to circumstances beyond its control.

Bediako, who heads the Kwarleyz Group, is also the founder of the New Force political movement.

He contested Ghana’s 2024 presidential election as an independent candidate.

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Cheddar-asks-UK-court-to-overturn-14-9m-judgment-against-him-over-alleged-forgery-2060573

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