The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the Godfred Dame-Richard Jakpa brouhaha as nothing but the opposition NDC’s dislike for the Attorney-General.
According to the NPP, the opposition’s dislike for the Minister of Justice began the very day he appeared before the Appointments Committee where the Minority on the vetting panel sought to find cause to impeach him but to no avail.
At a press conference organised by the party Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in response to an earlier one made by the NDC, Frank Davies, a private legal practitioner and leading member of the NPP noted that the NDC filed a motion of censure to oust Dame after his appointment when its attempt to disqualify him at the vetting failed.
The party in power believes the recent development revolving around the Attorney-General is a ploy by the NPP to tarnish his work.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, if at all, the only persecution in this instance is the malicious and perennial dislike of the NDC towards the Attorney General since he assumed office, and the several attempts to stultify his work. The records are there to show that right from his appointment as Attorney General, the NDC has spent one of the longest periods in vetting him with the hope of impeaching his appointment but the Attorney General remained resolute to their admiration.
“Having failed, the NDC filed a Motion for Censure to remove Godfred Dame from office as Attorney-General soon after his appointment which also failed. The NDC have since his appointment held over twelve(12) Press Conferences against the person of the Attorney General,” Mr. Davies indicated.
He added that “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.”
The presser was in relation to the matter involving the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame and Richard Jakpa, an accused person in the ongoing ambulance trial who accused the A-G of meeting him at odd hours to falsify a testimony against the former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
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.
