Private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, has said it is possible the Attorney-General (A-G), Godfred Yeboah Dame, decided to stay off record in the allegations made against him by Richard Jakpa in order to avoid cross-examination.
Richard Jakpa, the third accused person in the ongoing ambulance purchase trial, had alleged that the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, had on some occasions, contacted him on odd hours to influence him on his testimony.
According to Jakpa, the Attorney-General had coerced him to falsify his testimony against the first accused person, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to get him behind bars since he was the main target of the prosecution.
The allegations, which the National Democratic Congress (NDC), where Dr. Ato Forson belongs and is a caucus leader of in Parliament, has since published an audio recording of a conversation between the A-G and Jakpa as evidence.
Mr. Jakpa has since filed an application seeking orders to strike out the charges against him and terminating the proceedings. He also asked the court to stay proceedings or order a mistrial.
But the Attorney-General, in an affidavit in opposition to the application, deposed to by a Principal State Attorney, Richard Gyambibi, said no proper grounds had been canvassed by the applicant to warrant a grant of the application.
The development, is what many have described as a means by the A-G to avoid being cross-examined on the recording which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said is doctored.
Speaking on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Tuesday, June 04, 2024, Mr. Kpebu noted that the A-G might have not signed the affidavit to avoid cross-examination.
“It could be true that the A-G didn’t sign the affidavit because he intended to avoid cross-examination because quite clearly, everybody listening to the tape knows that that’s the voice of Godfred Dame so that’s not in dispute. So, for those who say he deliberately didn’t sign to avoid cross examination, it is possible,” he stated.
The renowned lawyer, however, added that the practice is admissible in law. He says the fact that the matter concerns the A-G does not mean he cannot delegate someone to present a firsthand hearsay to the court.
