The Office of the Attorney General has clarified that it will not pursue defamation charges against individuals allegedly spreading falsehoods about Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame in connection with the ongoing ambulance procurement case.
In a statement issued on Thursday, May 23, the AG’s office addressed the allegations made by Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the case, who claimed that the Attorney General sought his cooperation to secure a conviction against the first accused, Cassiel Ato Forson.
The statement, signed by Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah Yeboah, revealed that it was actually Jakpa who proposed plea bargaining or plea negotiations to the Republic through the Attorney General in various letters dated April 27, May 16, May 30, and June 12, 2023.
However, the Attorney General’s office clarified that this proposal has not been accepted to date.
Furthermore, the Attorney General’s office possesses video evidence of Cassiel Ato Forson allegedly meeting with the Attorney General to request the discontinuation of his prosecution.
The office described the recent allegations as part of a larger strategy by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to exert pressure on the Attorney General to drop the case or distract from the substantive issues involving significant financial losses to the state.
In an interview with Asaase, Isaac Wilberforce Mensah, spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, confirmed that the AG would not pursue defamation suits, stating that “defamatory suits are not necessary” in this case, as it involves political discussions and the first accused person has been charged with a criminal offence.
Mensah also commented on the defence strategy in the ongoing case, stating that if the defence is based on negotiations between the Attorney General and the third accused person, it will be difficult for the defence in court.
