On Thursday, June 13, 2024, Richard Jakpa, one of the accused persons standing trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the ongoing ambulance trial, testified during cross examination by the lawyers of the first accused.

Mr. Jakpa, who has accused the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, of witness tampering, made further damning allegations while under cross examination by the legal team of former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

Cooperation for exoneration

Richard Jakpa testifying under oath, told the court that Godfred Dame sought his cooperation with the promise of ensuring he walks away at the end of the trial as a free man.

He added that Mr Dame assured him that he would be discharged at the submission of no case, which is why he chose to cooperate and share documents with the Attorney General.

Mr Jakpa further stated that this assurance led him to believe that the Attorney-General would assist him, resulting in the AG providing him with the addendum to the main contract between the Government of Ghana and Big Sea even before the prosecution had closed its case.

Meetings with Dame at residence of Supreme Court judge

Richard Jakpa told the court on Thursday that he had four meetings with the attorney general some of which took place in the residence of Supreme Court Justice, Yonni Kulendi who happens to be his cousin.

He explained that while he requested for the first of the four meetings, the subsequent meetings were arranged on the insistence of the A-G.

Ato Forson is the real target

The third accused told the court that Godfred Dame made it clear to him that the target of the case was Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson who is the current Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Esiam Constituency and Minority Leader.

“A-G told me that everybody knows his target is Dr Forson and as for me I was just added so that it wouldn’t look like Dr Forson is being hunted,” he told the court.

By-election engineering

Richard Japka while under cross examination told the Accra High Court president by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe that Godfred Dame admitted to him that the entire trial was to ensure a by-election in Ato Forson’s constituency.

"If I cooperate with him and they can even get Ato Forson just one month in Nsawam, his seat will be declared vacant, so they can go and win that election," he told the court.

While attempting to draw the A-G’s attention to the fact that the Central Region is a stronghold of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godfred made further revelations about how the New Patriotic Party (NPP) intends to win the seat.

"I told him Central Region is NDC so how sure are you that you will win that by-election? The AG told me Fantes are thieves, they will pump money in and win that election," he testified.

GA/SARA

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