NDC shares evidence of Godfred Dame 'coercing' 3rd accused in Ato Forson’s trial

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has shared evidence of the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, allegedly coercing the third accused in the ongoing trial of the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson; businessman Richard Jakpa.

At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the NDC played a 16-minute audio recording of a phone 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 which 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."

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 can travel.

The conversation also suggested that the two men had met or communicated more than once because the third accused stated in the audio that the Attorney General had been pressuring him to testify in the way he wanted.

Listen to the audio recording below:



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