Henry Nana Boakye, the National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has named Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, as the said Supreme Court judge whose residence the meeting between Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General, and Richard Jakpa, the third accused person in the ambulance case took place.
The NPP is accusing the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of manipulating a tape recording of the conversation that took place at Justice Kulendi’s residence against the Attorney-General.
Richard Jakpa has accused Mr. Yeboah Dame of calling and meeting him at odd hours to falsify his testimony against Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who is the first accused in the ambulance trial.
Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister and current Minority Leader, is facing charges with two others, including Richard Jakpa, for their alleged involvement in the procurement of faulty ambulances for Ghana.
During cross examination by counsel for the Minority Leader in court Thursday, May 23, 2024, Jakpa was cautioned by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe to be direct in his responses and avoid wasting the time of the court.
In response to the judge’s caution, Attorney-General Yeboah Dame accused Jakpa of defending the Minority Leader.
The accusation prompted Mr Jakpa to retort that the Attorney-General seemed aggrieved because he had previously failed to get him (Jakpa) to help the state build a case against Dr. Ato Forson.
“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1 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 when I’m here to defend myself,” Mr Jakpa said in court.
“If he pushes me, I’ll open the Pandora’s box. I have evidence to all this,” he added.
Contradicting Jakpa’s allegations, Attorney General Godfred Dame asserted that it was Jakpa who had repeatedly reached out, sending several letters to request a plea bargain in hopes of having the charges against all accused persons dropped.
However, the A-G clarified that no agreement had been reached regarding these proposals.
The NDC has since planned on disclosing the evidence revealing the meeting between Godfred Dame and Richard Jakpa.
But prior to the press conference scheduled to take place today, Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Nana Boakye has gone on his Facebook wall to post that indeed there was a meeting between the A-G and Mr. Jakpa, contrary to what the Minister said earlier that they have never met, adding that the meeting was honoured as a courtesy to the Supreme Court judge who invited him to his residence without informing him that Richard Jakpa was also present.
Nana Boakye emphasised that the full recording of the conversation would exonerate the Attorney-General, demonstrating that the Godfred Dame never asked Mr Jakpa to alter his testimony.
He suggested that the recording would provide clear evidence against the manipulation claims made by the NDC.
“The latest in this charade is the claim of possessing some damning evidence which has been found out to be a recording by Richard Jakpa at a meeting the AG was invited to by a Supreme Court judge, Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi without being informed Richard Jakpa will be present.”
“We are reliably informed that NDC is trying every means to maliciously ‘doctor’ the said tape to exclude portions of the conversation and particularly the voice of the Supreme Court Justice, whose invitation the AG honoured out of courtesy.”
