Ambulance Case: Alban Bagbin to testify in Court as Jakpa’s witness on October 8

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been scheduled to appear before the High Court in Accra to testify as a subpoenaed witness for the 3rd accused, Richard Jakpa, on October 8.

This follows the Court's case completion plan, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe.

The Court has subsequently fixed November 15 as a tentative date for judgment.

According to the plan drawn by the Court, Dr. Alex Segbefia, a former Minister for Health, is to appear in Court on July 22.

Two others – Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. General Thomas Oppong Peprah, and former Deputy Controller and Accountant General Department, Mr. Andrews K. K. Kuffe, are to testify on July 25.

On July 30, 2024, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe stated that Prof. Nuhu Zakaria, the Director of Ghana Ambulance Service, and Madam Julia Asante of Stanbic Bank are to appear on the day before the last day of the 2023/2024 legal year, on July 31.

Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who was the Minister of Health in 2013, has been scheduled to appear on October 8 in the first week of the new legal year to testify, along with former Public Procurement Authority boss, Mr. Silas Mensah. Mr. Ayarrongo is expected to appear on October 10, 2024.

With these plans set out, Justice Asare-Botwe has further directed that the parties are “to file their closing written submissions,” which “should be filed by October 31,” simultaneously.

Justice Asare-Botwe subsequently fixed November 15, 2024, as the “tentative” date for judgment, despite a protest from Lawyer Abdul Basit Aziz Bamba that their inputs were not sought by the Court.

Richard Jakpa, a businessman, is standing trial together with Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson for what the prosecution alleges to be willfully causing financial loss to the Republic to the tune of 2.37 million euros following the purchase of ambulances.

The accused persons have pleaded not guilty and are standing trial before Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge.

Both the prosecution and Dr. Forson, the first accused person, have closed their cases, with Mr. Jakpa calling his witnesses.