Abraham Amaliba, Director of Conflict Resolution for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), stated that it has long been clear to unbiased legal experts that the acquittal and discharge of Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the ambulance procurement case was inevitable.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, Mr. Amaliba explained that the charges against Ato Forson and two others were politically motivated and lacked legal merit.
“We have always known that it was a persecution rather than a prosecution and we have always known that the trial was politically motivated and nothing else.
Even the AG was heard on tape saying that he was under pressure from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to jail Ato Forson and so we have always known that when we appear before the right people, Ato [Forson] will walk free,” Amaliba said.
He also mentioned a leaked tape between Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame and the third accused, Richard Jakpa, in which the AG allegedly tried to coerce Jakpa into implicating Ato Forson.
Amaliba added that Godfred Dame had difficulty understanding the implications of letters of credit and other aspects of the case.
“If you listened to the leaked tape, the AG was struggling to comprehend what letters of credit meant and were supposed to do, and Jakpa tried to make him understand so it is clear that no wrong payments were made.
“He who alleges must prove, not the accused and so we were expecting that the AG would bring Seth Terkper to prove that Ato Forson did not have authorisation to issue the letters of credit.”
The Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and businessman Richard Jakpa on Tuesday, July 30, overturning the trial judge’s order for the former Deputy Finance Minister to present his defense in the ambulance case.
The acquittal was upheld by a 2:1 majority decision, allowing the accused to walk free.
The Attorney General’s department has indicated that it will challenge the Court of Appeal’s ruling.
