Lawyer Martin Kpebu has asserted that the fact that the High Court has admitted the full WhatsApp conversation between Godfred Yeboah Dame and Richard Jakpa into evidence does not mean it would be deemed relevant in determining the matter.
Martin Kpebu says evidence, when admitted in a trial, is reviewed by the judges to ascertain its relevance to the matter before they are considered in contributing to the fate of the case.
Speaking on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, June 22, 2024, Mr. Kpebu indicated that such evidence sometimes aid in clarifying certain aspects of the case and does not mean they become the ultimate determinant of the matter.
“Once they’ve been admitted, they’ve crossed that hurdle, meaning that at the end of the case, when the judge has to review everything and come to a decision, the judge will review what Jakpa presented and review what Dame also presented.
An Accra High Court admitted into evidence, the full WhatsApp messages between Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial and the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame. Richard Jakpa had earlier presented portions of the conversation to the court which was admitted.
However, the prosecution submitted the full chat which was accepted by the presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, indicating the court cannot reject the full chat since it had earlier accepted portions of it which were presented by the third defendant, Richard Jakpa.
She, however, stated that the weight of the evidence presented could only be determined by the court.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, during proceedings on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, shed light on the significant number of messages the third accused sent in contrast to the few ones Mr. Dame responded to.
Mr. Jakpa admitted that he introduced himself to the Attorney-General before the trial and obtained the Justice Minister’s contact information through his cousin, Supreme Court Judge, Justice Yonny Kulendi.
Under cross-examination, he acknowledged that the messages presented in court did not represent the entire conversation but were selectively chosen for their relevance to his case.
Meanwhile, counsel for the defence, Thaddeus Sory, objected to the full conversation saying they would need more to review the messages thoroughly.
The court had earlier admitted into evidence, a tape containing a telephone conversation between the A-G and Mr. Jakpa, where Mr. Dame is accused of impressing upon Jakpa to falsify his testimony against the first accused, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
Akufo-Addo’s administration now a ‘one day-one scandal’ government – Kpebu
