The High Court in Accra has reportedly ordered the former Minister for Health, Alex Segbefia, to appear before it in the ongoing trial of the minority leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.

In addition to Alex Segbefia, a former Controller and Accountant General, Seidu Kotomah and a former Budget Director at the Health Ministry, Patrick Nimo, have also been ordered to appear before the court.

According to a news report by myjoyonline.com, the court made the order at the urging of the lawyers of the minority leader, who said they were not able to call witnesses for the hearing on Wednesday, June 22, 2013.

“Former Controller and Accountant General. Seidu Kotomah was to testify. Unfortunately, we have not been able to secure the attendance of the witness in court today to testify.

“Upon realising, we made diligent efforts to get other witnesses to appear in court to testify, specifically, I approached Alexander Kwasi Mould who has already filed a witness statement whether he will be able to attend court today to testify.

“But he indicated his inability to do so and gave reasons including not being in the country. I also got A1 (Dr Forson) to talk to other witnesses. And not a positive response has been received,” lead counsel for Ato Forson, Dr Abdul Basit Bamba, is quoted to have said.

The presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal hearing the case as an additional High Court Judge, then granted an application for the order of the three men to appear before the court by Dr Basit Bamba.

The ongoing trial involves the Minority Leader, Dr Ato Forson, former director of the Ministry of Health Sylvester Anemana, and businessman Richard Jakpa, who are accused of their involvement in the purchase of defective ambulances for the state. The Attorney-General asserts that the state suffered a loss of €2.37 million due to the purchase.

All three defendants have pleaded not guilty, and the court has directed them to present their defence, as the minimum threshold required for them to answer to the case has been met.

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IB/WA