Details have emerged surrounding the clandestine recording of Ghana’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, by businessman Richard Jakpa at the residence of a Supreme Court Justice.
Jakpa has alleged that the Attorney General pressured him to implicate Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson. However, GHANAFEED has uncovered evidence revealing that Jakpa secretly recorded a conversation involving himself, the Attorney General, and the Supreme Court judge.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is leveraging the recording to pressure the Attorney General into discontinuing Dr. Forson’s trial. GHANAFEED has also learned that Dr. Forson visited the Attorney General’s residence with a senior Member of Parliament to request the case against him be dropped.
Sources state, “The AG was not influenced by Jakpa’s introduction by the Supreme Court judge or any representations made by Jakpa. The AG also resisted strong pressure from the accused, particularly Ato Forson, who personally visited the AG to plead.” Furthermore, it was clarified that the Attorney General had only contacted Jakpa once concerning a trial adjournment due to his absence and had not initiated any meetings with him. The recorded meeting occurred after the court established a prima facie case against the accused and after Dr. Forson had closed his defense.
Additional information has surfaced regarding four plea proposal letters Jakpa wrote to the Attorney General’s Office seeking to have the case dropped.
Trial Background
Dr. Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa are on trial for allegedly causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state through a contract to purchase 200 ambulances for the Ministry of Health. Court documents describe the ambulances as ordinary buses lacking essential medical equipment.
Allegations and NDC’s Stance
Under cross-examination, Jakpa claimed to possess a recording of the Attorney General pressuring him to implicate Dr. Forson. The NDC has seized upon this claim, demanding the Attorney General’s resignation and threatening to release the recording. They accuse the AG of persecuting their leader, alleging, “This reflects the desperate lengths the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government will go to manipulate judicial processes to victimize political opponents for political gain.”
In response, the Attorney General’s Office has dismissed the allegations as part of a broader NDC scheme to pressure the AG into dropping the case against Dr. Forson.
Meeting at the Judge’s House
Credible sources explained that the Supreme Court Justice, who is Jakpa’s cousin, invited the Attorney General to his home for a conversation. During the meeting, Jakpa visited the judge and discussed his plea bargaining proposal. The AG explained his reasons for rejecting the proposal, citing the involvement of Big Sea General LLC, a Dubai-based company not part of the trial, and the accused’s unwillingness to plead guilty.
Unknown to the AG, Jakpa recorded the conversation, facilitated by the Supreme Court Justice’s invitation. The AG emphasized that he had no personal vendetta against Jakpa and was open to plea bargaining if Jakpa cooperated truthfully.
Plea Bargaining Attempts
GHANAFEED has obtained four letters from Jakpa’s lawyers to the Attorney General’s Office proposing settlements to discontinue the trial. The first letter, dated April 27, 2023, offered the cedi equivalent of €2 million, to be paid in tranches. Subsequent proposals also offered phased payments but were deemed unacceptable by the Attorney General’s Office.
The AG stressed that truthfulness from Jakpa could facilitate an acceptance of a plea deal, highlighting that Jakpa was not the principal actor in the transaction that resulted in the financial loss to the state. The main targets, according to the AG, were the public officers responsible for the payments for the defective vehicles.
Conclusion
Sources indicate that the accused have employed various strategies to pressure the Attorney General into halting the trial. The Attorney General has remained steadfast, emphasizing transparency and adherence to legal procedures in addressing the allegations and the plea bargaining proposals.
Source: GhanaFeed.Com
