Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, addressed the controversy surrounding his ‘advice’ to the third accused in the high-profile ambulance trial, businessman Richard Jakpa.

At a press conference in Accra on Friday, February 14, 2025, Dame rejected claims that he encouraged the accused to obtain a medical excuse duty despite being in good health.

A section of the public called for the dismissal of Dame while he was in office following the leak of his phone conversation with the third accused in the high-profile ambulance trial, businessman Richard Jakpa.

One of the main reasons people demanded Dame’s removal was an audio recording in which he was allegedly coaching Jakpa to deceive the judge by obtaining a fake medical excuse duty, thereby delaying the trial.

But, according to Dame, he suggested the excuse duty because Jakpa was genuinely unwell when they met at the home of Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi.

"During one of the visits which is the very last visit, I knew that he was unwell. It is a matter of record, and the court proceedings confirm that even on that day, his own counsel had called the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to arrange an adjournment because he knew his client was not well.

"When the case was called, the lawyer for the accused requested a discussion in chambers regarding a possible adjournment due to Richard Jakpa’s condition.

"As a result, the court granted an adjournment,” he explained.

The former Attorney General further stated that he encouraged Jakpa to seek a medical excuse duty because he was truly unwell, and Dame himself needed time to prepare for an international case.

"Coincidentally, that week was right before an international arbitration hearing in the GC Met matter, which the government of Ghana later won. The hearing was scheduled for Monday, just after the secret recording by Richard Jakpa, which took place on either Tuesday or Thursday.

"The ambulance trial used to be heard on Tuesdays and Thursdays. By Thursday, as Attorney General, you are burdened with numerous responsibilities such as Cabinet meetings, the National Security Council, court proceedings and so you try to manage your workload efficiently.

"That particular Thursday, I realized I needed to focus on preparing for the international arbitration. Otherwise, the hearing scheduled for the following Monday would have been problematic. By 11 a.m., with matters set to proceed at noon, I still wasn’t fully prepared," he recounted.

Dame emphasised that the phone call he made to Jakpa, which became the subject of controversy, was based on his belief that Jakpa was genuinely unwell.

"That day, as I mentioned, Jakpa actually went to court and secured an adjournment due to his condition," he added.

Dame also disclosed that during their conversation, Jakpa expressed fear of requesting an adjournment because of a previous warning from the judge.

He further explained that Jakpa eventually presented the medical excuse duty to the judge, leading to the adjournment of the case.

"I simply called him, unaware that he had an ulterior motive while secretly recording our conversation and making statements that the judge later confirmed came from him, not me.

"He told me he was afraid because the judge had previously issued a bench warrant for his arrest, making him hesitant to request an adjournment due to illness. I advised him that he could obtain a medical report. That is exactly what happened.

"When he appeared in court, he successfully secured an adjournment because he was unwell."

In the leaked audio recording, Godfred Dame can be heard instructing Jakpa to obtain a medical excuse duty to delay court proceedings.

The recording, released by the then-opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), allegedly captures Dame advising Jakpa to miss a court sitting to accommodate the Attorney General's travel plans.

In the conversation, Dame is heard saying, "And then, even next week, the whole of next week, I'll not be around. Yes, I will be off. If you don’t finish next week, I would appreciate it."

Jakpa responds, "Oh, no, no. I'll not finish next week. I don't think I'll be able to finish because the documents are many.

"So, you will surely go and come and meet me. But that will also depend on the judge’s behavior."

The conversation continues with Dame suggesting, "You can bring one of the medical excuses next week."

This revelation added another layer of complexity to the case involving Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister and current Minority Leader, who was standing trial alongside Jakpa for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

The controversy intensified when, during cross-examination, Jakpa accused the Attorney General of pressuring him to provide false testimony to secure Ato Forson’s conviction.

BAI/MA

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