On June 18, 2024, the first part of a much-awaited cross-examination in the ambulance purchase trial took place.
State prosecutors led by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, started cross examining the third accused in the case, businessman Richard Jakpa.
Jakpa had made several claims against Attorney-General Godfred Dame last week when he was in the dock answering questions from Abdul Aziz Bamba, counsel for the first accused, Cassiel Ato Forson.
Before Jakpa would take the witness box, however, the state through Deputy A-G, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah raised concerns with respect to the circulation of an audio of the last court proceedings on WhatsApp.
The judge convened a conclave with counsels for the three sides - prosecution, first and third accused persons and subsequently ordered that National Security probes the source of the said audio recording.
This set the stage for the cross examination proper.
A-G Godfred Dame joined Tuah-Yeboah and Yvonne Obuobisa when Jakpa finally mounted the witness box.
Jakpa's military history dissected
The state started out by digging into Jakpa's professional past as a military officer, probing among others if he had been dismissed for failing his exams.
Jakpa disagreed, explaining, “As I have been explaining, the answer is not a simple yes or no. I was being victimized, and that is why I am explaining.” He added that he was transferred from Sunyani to Accra due to a conflict with former Defence Minister Addo Kufuor.
“In the military, we are trained and governed by military rules, and in those rules, we are trained not to obey unlawful commands,” Jakpa said, explaining why he refused to hand over his brief as ordered by Kufuor.
How relationship with Dame started
On how he (Jakpa) first came to know the A-G, he drew in his cousin and Justice of the Supreme Court, Yonny Kulendi, whose name has severally come up in the case since an audio recording of Jakpa's chat with A-G Dame was published weeks back.
When questioned by the prosecution about whether the Attorney General knew Jakpa was related to Justice Kulendi, Jakpa stated, “I cannot confirm for him (Godfred Dame).
"I am not in his (A-G) mind, and I am not his PA, so whether he knew I am the cousin of Justice Yonny Kulendi, he is the only person who can tell.”
WhatsApp exchanges
The prosecution also claimed that Jakpa had sent 68 messages to the Attorney-General but only received two replies. Jakpa disagreed, noting that some of their communication occurred during meetings.
“Yes, but I don’t have the number of WhatsApp messages in my head. What I do know, and is on his (A-G’s) phone and my phone, is that he (Godfred Dame) called me, gave me an assignment, and I executed it,” Jakpa said.
“I gave him feedback, and he acknowledged the feedback. Prior to that, I sent him a WhatsApp message requesting a private meeting at his convenience, and he responded that he would arrange for our meeting through my cousin (Justice Yonny Kulendi).”
Jakpa also mentioned that it was the attorney general who suggested Justice Kulendi’s house as the venue for their meeting. “I didn’t suggest my cousin’s (Justice Yonny Kulendi’s) house; he (Godfred Dame) suggested my cousin’s house,” Jakpa stated.
Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame was present in court on June 18. The case has been adjourned to June 20, 2024, for continuation.
TWI NEWS
With additional files from Starr FM report
SARA
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