€2.37m ambulance saga: Ato Forson closes case as Alex Segbefia fails to show up

The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has concluded his case in the ongoing €2.37 million ambulance procurement saga, citinewsonline.com reports.

During the last court sitting, Dr. Ato Forson intended to summon former Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia, as his third witness, but Segbefia was absent.

“The first accused wishes to inform the court that we’re calling no further witness and we’re closing our case,” Dr. Ato Forson’s lawyer, Edudzi Tameklo told the court.

The former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sylvester Alimana, the second accused, has now initiated his defence in the Financial and Economic Court 2.

The judge stated, “A1 (Ato Forson) has closed his case; hence, A2 (Alimana) has been directed to open his defense.”

Lawyers for the first and third accused did not object to the witness statement filed by A2, paving the way for cross-examination by state attorneys.

The report added that Dr. Alimana stated in his witness statement that he was transferred to the Ministry of Environment and was not privy to the processes leading to the ambulance purchase after his exit from the health ministry.

He told the court that he retired from the Environment ministry.

“I retired from the service in September 2015 when some ambulances were purchased. I do not see any financial loss to the state in a contract that hasn’t materialized even until today,” Dr. Alimana stated.

He told the court that Dr. Ato Forson was not the deputy minister for finance before he (Dr. Alimana) wrote the contract letters, in his response to Ato Forson’s lawyers on whether or not, Dr Ato Forson was the deputy finance minister at the time of signing the contract letters for sole sourcing.

Lawyers for the first accused concluded his cross-examination, suggesting Dr. Ato Forson played no role in the contract.

Lawyers for the third accused informed A2 that the 15.8 million Euros was a loan for 200 ambulances secured from Stanbic. This was affirmed by A2.

Dr. Alimana asserted that the process of securing the loan started while he was at the health ministry. The third accused informed A2 that no money was paid directly to his client, Dzakpa until a high court directed so.

Lawyers for A2 applied for an amendment of bail terms to allow for Dr. Alimana to access medical treatment in India.

The judge questioned the application’s merit, rejected it, and Owuradu, his lawyer, withdrew it with the hope of resubmitting later.

The judge struck out the application seeking the release of A2’s passport.

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NAY/AE