The High Court in Accra has admitted into eveidene the audio recording between the third accused Richard Jakpa and Attorney-General Godfred Dame in the ambulance case.
On Tuesday, June 11 2024, the 16-minute audio recording was played in open court. After it was played, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, opposed the request for the same to be tendered into evidence.
The DPP argued that an insufficient foundation has been laid by lawyers for the first accused person to warrant the recording’s inclusion into evidence in the ongoing criminal trial of Cassiel Ato Forson, Sylvester Anemana (Discharged) and Richard Jakpa.
“My lady will note that by its own ruling, this court admitted into evidence this same recording that counsel seeks to tender in through cross-examination of the third accused.
“In that motion for injunction and stay of proceedings, there was some relevance for which this court could admit to determine whether the Attorney General sought to implicate the 1st accused person through the evidence of third accused.
Background
Dr Forson and Jakpa have been accused of causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016. They have pleaded not guilty to counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to wilfully causing financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and intentionally misapplying public property.