The third accused in the ambulance case, Richard Jakpa has revealed that the Attorney General, Godfred Dame confirmed to him that he was innocent and assured him that he would be acquitted.
Jakpa filed an application in court on May 30, 2024, for an order to strike out the charges or to stay the proceedings against him. Also, he wants to testify on oath to the claims of his innocence.
In the application, Richard Jakpa said the Attorney-General assured him that he and the second accused person, Dr. Sylvester Anemana were only added to the case as decoy. He said Godfred Dame informed him that the case was targeting former Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson because President Akufo-Addo and former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta want him jailed.
Richard Jakpa said he explained to the Attorney General that he couldn’t testify in court as the A-G wanted because that would be contrary to the documents submitted in evidence. He said if he did, it would have betrayed honesty in the court process.
“In any event, as I have always explained the nature of the transaction to the learned Attorney-General based on the relevant documents [even though I always had a lawyer representing me in court], I told him during several meetings with him that I was unable to testify in the manner suggested by him so as to incriminate the first accused because such testimony would be betrayed by the documents in evidence and in any event would not be honest.”
In support of the recent allegations, especially, the one presented by the NDC during its press conference on May 28, Richard Jakpa confirmed the A-G called him on the phone to discuss his appearance in court. He said he has WhatsApp conversations between the two and call recordings and will submit them to support his case.
“The discussions about my testimony after I open my defence culminated in a phone call to me on the 9th April 2024 by the learned Attorney-General when I was to appear in court to continue my evidence in chief in terms of the witness statement I filed.
“The matters I have testified about, and also the discussions I had during Hon. Dame’s call to me are available by way of the whatsapp conversations on my cell phone and also a recording of the telephone conversation which I am prepared to make them available to the Court and be cross-examined on them.”
Richard Jakpa said in the application that Godfred Dame asked him to testify not based on his understanding of the matters but on suggestions submitted by Godfred Dame.
“In the phone conversation between Hon. Dame and me, he suggested that during cross-examination I testify not based on matters personally perceived and understood by me, but based on his suggestions.
“In that telephone conversation, the Attorney-General is heard directly engaging me on the subject of the LCS which before his interjection were the focus of the first accused’s counsel cross-examination and stated how he thought I should answer questions regarding the LCs during cross- examination.
“I repeat paragraph 26 of my affidavit and depose further that when I disagreed with him, the Attorney-General suggested that he would be travelling and not able to be in court at the next adjourned date and that I seek an adjournment from the court by informing the court that I was sick to allow him to be present in court before I proceed with my testimony. I declined this suggestion.
“It has become clear to me without a shred of doubt that the charges against me and the instant proceedings are only being pursued by the Attorney- General against me:
i. in abuse of the court process as they are not pursued bona fide.
ii. abuse of his prosecutorial powers which must be exercised not only in accordance with law but also fairly and reasonably, in good faith, without arbitrariness or caprice.
iii. in abuse of my right to a fair trial because my interactions with the Attorney-General and my openness to him by virtue of the trust I reposed in him as a lawyer.
