The Office of the Attorney-General has firmly denied accusations from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame is politically persecuting Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in connection with the ongoing case regarding the procurement of defective ambulances.
In a statement signed by Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, the Office refuted claims that the prosecution has sought to manipulate judicial processes. The statement emphasized that the state has relied solely on the transaction records pertaining to the procurement of the ambulances to build its case against Dr. Forson and his co-accused.
The NDC had alleged, in an earlier press release signed by National Chairman Asiedu Nketia, that the Attorney-General attempted to influence businessman Richard Jakpa, who is also charged in the case, to skew his testimony to implicate Dr. Forson. The NDC described these actions as part of a broader strategy by the NPP government to unjustly target political opponents.
In response, the Attorney-General’s Office dismissed these allegations, asserting that neither the Attorney-General nor any staff member had approached the accused to solicit evidence. The statement noted that it was Richard Jakpa who had initiated communication with the Attorney-General’s Office on multiple occasions seeking plea negotiations, which have not been accepted.
The Office also addressed claims of external pressure to halt the prosecution. It disclosed that Dr. Forson had personally approached the Attorney-General to request the discontinuation of his prosecution, a request which was refused. The statement described the NDC’s allegations as part of a calculated effort to pressure the Attorney-General into dropping the charges or to divert attention from the substantive issues of financial loss caused to the state.
Dr. Forson and Jakpa are accused of causing financial loss amounting to €2.37 million through the procurement of 200 ambulances that were deemed unfit for purpose, lacking essential medical equipment. The prosecution, led by Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame and Director of Public Prosecutions Yvonne Atakora-Obuobisa, closed its case on February 14, 2023, after presenting evidence and testimony from five witnesses, including former Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.
The statement from the Attorney-General’s Office concluded by urging the public to disregard the NDC’s allegations and assured that the prosecution would proceed with diligence and integrity.
Background
The trial of Dr. Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa centers on their roles in the procurement of ambulances for the Ministry of Health. The primary issues include whether the vehicles were purchased in accordance with the approved agreement and whether Dr. Forson was authorized to direct the establishment of irrevocable letters of credit, which facilitated the payments for the defective ambulances.
The Attorney-General’s Office maintains that the case is being prosecuted based on concrete evidence of financial misconduct and is not influenced by political motivations.
Source: GhanaFeed.Com
