In a stunning revelation, a leaked audio recording has emerged implicating Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame in pressuring a witness, Richard Jakpa, in the ongoing ambulance purchase case to provide false testimony against the main defendant, Dr. Casiel Ato Forson.
The recording suggests that the witness tampering incident took place at the residence of Supreme Court Justice Emmanuel Yoni Kulendi, raising serious concerns about potential judicial involvement.
The National Democratic Congress released the explosive tape, wherein Godfred Yeboah Dame is heard allegedly coercing Jakpa to lie under oath, with encounters reportedly taking place at various locations, including Justice Yoni Kulendi’s residence.
The recording captures Jakpa expressing ethical concerns about misleading the court to incriminate an individual he believes to be innocent, highlighting a disturbing scenario of potential miscarriage of justice. Justice Emmanuel Yoni Kulendi, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2020 by President Akufo-Addo, faces allegations of complicity in the witness tampering scheme, which, if proven true, could result in severe consequences such as disbarment.
The Case at Hand The case revolves around accusations that Dr. Ato Forson, former Deputy Finance Minister, caused financial losses to the state by approving a contract for the purchase of 50 ambulances, 10 of which were allegedly defective.
The Attorney General contends that Dr. Forson’s actions resulted in government funds being misappropriated, a claim vehemently denied by the defense.
The leaked conversations shed light on intricate details of the case, portraying a narrative of deliberate manipulation to incriminate Ato Forson. Jakpa, a key witness and third accused in the trial, is heard challenging the Attorney General’s assertions and asserting the true nature of the contract, which involved a total of 200 ambulances to be delivered in tranches.
Coercion and Deception
The audio recordings capture exchanges between Godfred Yeboah Dame and Richard Jakpa, in which the former allegedly coached the witness to distort facts and present a skewed version of events to favor the prosecution’s narrative. Jakpa’s resistance to providing false testimony and his moral dilemmas underscore the unethical nature of the pressure exerted by the Attorney General.
Moreover, the recording reveals disturbing instructions from Godfred Yeboah Dame for Jakpa to simulate illness to delay court proceedings, further illustrating a pattern of coercion and deception in the pursuit of convictions.
The unfolding scandal raises serious concerns about the integrity of the legal process and the potential abuse of power within the judicial system.
As the investigation progresses, the implications of witness tampering and judicial involvement in manipulating trial outcomes pose a significant threat to the rule of law and the principles of justice.
The revelation of this clandestine operation within the judicial realm demands thorough scrutiny and accountability to uphold the sanctity of the legal system and ensure fair and impartial adjudication in the face of apparent malfeasance.