Ambulance case trial: Ato Forson petitions Chief Justice for live broadcast of proceedings

The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the primary defendant in the ongoing ambulance trial, has petitioned the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, to allow a live telecast of the remaining proceedings of the trial.

This request was filed on behalf of the Minority Leader by his lawyers, to the Chief Justice, on Thursday, May 30, 2024.

Dr. Ato Forson explained on social media that this move is prompted by recent allegations of misconduct against Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame.

He argued that broadcasting the trial live would ensure transparency and uphold the principles of open justice, allowing citizens to form informed opinions and hold participants accountable.

"In the wake of the recent exposé concerning the alleged misconduct of the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, I have instructed my lawyers to petition the Chief Justice for the live broadcast of all subsequent proceedings in the Ambulance Trial. This request is motivated by a deep commitment to transparency and open justice, principles that are fundamental to a fair and impartial legal system.

"The allegations against the Attorney-General are deeply concerning. If true, they represent a serious breach of public trust and a threat to the integrity of our judicial system. It is imperative that these allegations be thoroughly investigated and that the public be given the opportunity to witness the proceedings first-hand," he posted on social media on May 30.

About the allegations against Godfred Dame:

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), true to its promise, provided evidence of the supposed misdeeds of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, in the ongoing trial of the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

The NDC accused Godfred Dame of unethical and unprofessional conduct when the third accused person in the ambulance purchase trial, businessman Richard Jakpa, alleged in court that the AG had meetings with him on how to implicate the first accused, Ato Forson.

The third accused claimed that the Attorney General wanted his cooperation to jail Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson; a claim Dame flatly denied.

At a press conference in Accra, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the NDC played a 16-minute audio recording of a phone call conversation between Godfred Dame and Richard Jakpa, on the day the third accused was supposed to testify in court.

In the recording, Dame is heard urging the third accused to testify in a manner that differs from an explanation given to him (Jakpa).

Before the AG's request, Jakpa explained that Ato Forson had done no wrong with the LCs he signed.

He could be heard telling the Attorney General that the contract was for the purchase of 200 vehicles with 4 LCs.

"With the security from the government being the LC, the condition precedent... the contract for 200 vehicles in tranches of 50, 50, 50, 50. The contract is one contract for 200 ambulances which has been broken down within the contract.

"You establish an LC for every 50 tranche. So, you have four LCs for the 200 ambulances," Jakpa explained.

Godfred Dame then stated that the third accused should accept his explanation because it wouldn't cause him any harm.

"For that part, I disagree with you because if you look at the terms of the contract, it is quite clear, and it should not be difficult for you to accept because it doesn't put you in any problem. You are not the Minister of Health, and you are not the Minister of Finance, so it doesn't put you in any difficulty," the Attorney General is heard saying.

However, Jakpa insisted that he could not grant Dame's request because there were letters that confirmed the arrangement in the contract.

"No, the problem I have in accepting that for you is that there are letters that confirm [details of the transaction]. So I can't go against what the letters say," he said.

Dame continued to ask Jakpa to accept his position because it would not cause him any problems, but the third accused insisted he was not going to say anything contrary to what he knew as the truth.

The Attorney General is also heard in the recording telling Jakpa to fabricate a medical excuse so that he could travel.

View Ato Forson's post and the petition below:

Transparency and Open Justice: Live Broadcast of the Ambulance Trial

In the wake of the recent exposé concerning the alleged misconduct of the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, I have instructed my lawyers to petition the Chief Justice for the live broadcast of all… pic.twitter.com/9on6wfe3uL

— Cassiel Ato Forson(PhD) (@Cassielforson) May 30, 2024

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