The High Court in Accra has admitted into evidence WhatsApp messages between Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial, and the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
Jakpa, a businessman, standing trial with a former Deputy Minister for Finance who is currently the Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for causing financial loss to the state through the procurement of the ambulances.
During a cross-examination, the third accused on the WhatsApp chat, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa suggested that he (Jakpa) did not tender all the messages to the court earlier because he knew that if he had tendered all the messages it would show to the court that he harassed the A-G with countless messages to which Godfred Dame barely responded.
But Jakpa disagreed with the suggestion and explained that “If she decides to include deleted text messages and voice calls, and deleted text messages and if you add all of them they are still not up to the 68, he is claiming and text messages are different from voice calls,” he said.
However, Mr Jakpa said there was nowhere in his message for that meeting did he mention Justice Kulendi’s name.
Trial judge, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe noted that the court had previously admitted WhatsApp chats from the third accused, and therefore could not reject what the prosecution described as the complete conversation.
However, she emphasised that the court reserves the right to determine the weight of the evidence presented.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
