The National Chairman of National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has demanded the immediate resignation of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
The main opposition party has also called for a full publicly-televised Parliamentary inquiry into what it describes as a “heinous crime of fabrication of evidence”.
The demand follows a press conference held on Tuesday, May 28, to disclose evidence to back a testimony the third accused, businessman Richard Jakpa, in the Ambulance case against Minority Leader, Dr Cassel Ato Forson and three others for allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the procurement of ambulances.
Mr Asiedu Nketia accused the Attorney-General of professional misconduct regarding the ongoing trial in his attempt to coerce one of the accused persons to give false testimony to enable the court jail the Dr Ato Forson, then a former deputy Finance Minister at the time of the transaction.
“In the period following the revelations, the NDC has obtained compelling evidence which supports Mr Jakpa’s claim that the Attorney-General indeed has engaged him on countless occasions and urged him to falsify his testimony to aid the case of the Attorney-General against Dr Ato Forson.” – he emphasized.
Presenting a recorded telephone conversation between Godfred Dame and Richard Jakpa, and screen shots of Whatsup messages between the two, the NDC National Chairman noted that, contrary to NPP’s claim that the Attorney General was entrapped, it was evidently clear, that he arranged the said meeting at the Supreme Court judges house, and that, the so-called recording was a phone conversation and not a recording at the Judges home.
The audio and its content also indicate that the third accused, Mr Jakpa, was insisting on his right, defended the transaction as legitimate throughout the sixteen (16) minute conversation and declined a request to falsify evidence.
“Frankly if I agree to your position, how you want to go about it and how you want me to go about answering questions and things. If I go by that way, frankly speaking I will be dishonest. Because I know how it is supposed to be. And I will be dishonest in such a way that I will be assisting for someone I know is completely innocent about this, for example Ato Forson to be jailed because I knew something was wrong, was not the way and I decided to keep quiet and to answer the questions in a way that will make your case better for you to jail him. I will be battling with my conscience.” Mr Jakpa angrily reacted.
He continued – “thats the problem I have anytime you bring up this issue with Yoni Kulendi. Thats the problem I am having. Because me for example I am in this case because I am innocent and I am going through ordeal. So I am looking at another person also going through the same ordeal through me because I know the truth and I decide not to say it because I want to help the AG to make a case and I ask myself, what is my interest in it?”
In the said audio evidence, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame is heard asking if he was not recording their conversation.
“Anyway that’s fine” he said
But Mr Jakpa went ahead to ask, “I hope you understand”
At that point Mr Godfred Dame went further “Its on the phone and I don’t know whether you are recording”
Based on the evidence adduced, the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia observed that per the 1992 Constitution, the Attorney-General must be a shining example and a leading light for the Bar, but as he put it “ not a criminal-minded, crooked, devious and vicious person who is pre-occupied with witch hunting and victimisation.
Mr Asiedu Nketia added that by this ‘alleged’ criminal conduct, Godfred Dame has demonstrated time without number that he cannot prioritise the national interest over his party’s parochial and self-serving interest.
“Godfred Dame has brought shame and disrepute to the honourable office of the Attorney-General with his criminal, devious and vicious conduct. He is a danger to fairness and justice in our judicial system and represents the lowest point in the history of persons who have occupied the hallowed office of Attorney-General and Minister of Justice…..He must therefore resign or be sacked by the President without delay”. He demanded
NDC’S DEMANDS
• The immediate and unconditional resignation or dismissal of Godfred Dame for bringing the high office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice into disrepute and public opprobrium. Clearly, Mr. Dame is not fit to hold himself out as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. He is unfit to be the Leader of the Ghanaian Bar.
• The immediate prosecution of Godfred Dame for multiple violations of the laws of Ghana. We wish to make it clear that should President Akufo-Addo fail to prosecute him, a future NDC government will prosecute Godfred Dame for this heinous crime of fabrication of evidence.
• Commencement of disciplinary proceedings by the General Legal Council against Godfred Dame and his disbarment for conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and more importantly the leader of the Ghana Bar.
• A publicly-televised Parliamentary inquiry into this and other reports of judicial manipulations by Godfred Dame with a view to censure Godfred Dame to prevent the recurrence of such judicial manipulations.
Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister, along with two others, is on trial for allegedly causing financial loss of €2.4 million to the state through the importation of 30 ambulances.
This forms part of a 2012 contract between the Ministry of Health and Dubai-based firm, Big Sea Limited, for the purchase of 200 ambulances
