The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that there is ample evidence to prosecute former Deputy Minister of Finance and Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing ambulance purchase trial.
Dr. Ato Forson, Sylvester Anemana and private businessman Richard Jakpa are standing trial for willfully causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state through a contract to purchase 200 ambulances for the Ministry of Health, among other charges.
The state has, however, discontinued the case against Sylvester Amemana.
During court proceedings on Thursday, May 23, 2024, Mr Jakpa alleged that the Attorney-General has been engaging him severally to help him implicate Dr Ato Forson in his testimony.
“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1 [Ato Forson] and I have evidence for that.. If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 [Ato Forson] when I’m here to defend myself,” Jakpa fumed in open court.
Moreover, the NDC on Tuesday released an audio recording purported to be a conversation between the third accused and Mr Dame.
Ambulance trial: Court processes are not for political vendetta – Kpebu
Excerpts of the audio played by the National Chairman of NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, captured the yet-to-be-authenticated voice of the Attorney-General, asking Mr Jakpa to seek a medical excuse to skip court proceedings pending his return to the country.
The party has since called for the “unconditional and immediate dismissal” of Mr Dame.
“Considering the scandalous nature of this recording and other forms of evidence we have shown you, we wish to make the following pressing demands as part of efforts to restore credibility to the Attorney-General’s office and Ghana’s judicial system as a whole.
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“The immediate and unconditional resignation or dismissal of Godfred Dame for bringing the high office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice into disrepute and public opprobrium. Clearly, Mr. Dame is not fit to hold himself out as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. He is unfit to be the leader of the Ghanaian Bar,” Mr Asiedu Nketia said.
Ploy to curtail prosecution
However, the NPP has mounted a spirited defence for the Attorney-General, stressing that the allegation by Mr Jakpa is the latest ploy from the NDC to ensure the prosecution of Ato Forson is discontinued.
“The latest allegation by Richard Jakpa, the 3rd accused and an associate of Cassiel Ato Forson in this botched Ambulance procurement transaction, is therefore only a further ploy, contrived to curtail the prosecution of Ato Forson and smear the Attorney-General’s integrity and reputation.
“But this would also not see the light of day as we believe firmly that public officials, regardless of social standing must be equally accountable for their use of public resources. Needless to say that the law is no respecter of persons,” the NPP’s Chairman of Legal and Constitutional Committee, Frank Davies, told the press on Tuesday, May 28.
Meanwhile, the NPP has dismissed calls for the NDC’s demand for the dismissal and prosecution of the Attorney-General, describing them as “misplaced, unwarranted,” and “would not put any spokes in the prosecution of Cassiel Ato Forson and his associates.”
