…as Ayine Abandons Ambulance Appeal Case
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has opted out the quest by his predecessor, Godfred Yeboah Dame appealing, a Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted and freed now Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson and one businessman, Richard Jakpa.
The former Minority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ajumako Enyan Essiam, was controversially dragged to an Accra High Court (Financial and Economic division) over his involvement in the purchase of some 30 ambulances, with a charge of causing €2.37 million financial loss to the state.
After two years of litigating the matter, the two were acquitted and discharged by the Appeal Court on July 30, 2024 after Forson through his lawyer, Godwin Edudzi Tamkloe, filed submission of no case at the Superior Court, following the High Court trial judge. Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Dr Forson and Richard Jakpa (Third Accused), to open their defence.
Dr Forson who received the news of his discharge with joy, earlier this month accused Dame, of leading a campaign of “malicious prosecution” designed to damage his reputation and weaken his influence as a prominent opposition figure challenging corruption.
Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Monday, January 6, Forson detailed what he believes are politically-driven charges meant to suppress his opposition to the government’s economic strategies.
He also highlighted the timing of the prosecution, which coincided with contentious debates over the government’s controversial e-levy policy. Ato Forson argued that his vocal stance against the e-levy made him a target for political retribution.
“My recent prosecution, or call it persecution, by the Attorney General over frivolous and trumped-up charges was calculated to intimidate and silence and completely extinguish a known dissenting voice, and my crime was that I sounded alarm bells on an economy that was being mismanaged and ruined by a select few in government.
The fact that my prosecution began in the wake of the tussle over e-levy should not be lost on anyone that I became an instant target of the regime.
The Attorney General and the minister responsible for justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, was determined to implore all crude tactics to achieve his ends of malicious prosecution just to satisfy the regime”, he said.
But unsatisfied Dame who had come under intense scrutiny and criticisms after a tape recording conversation between him and Jakpa, the former soldier got leaked, surfaced. Dame who was accused of persecuting his political opponent, went ahead to appeal the case at the Supreme Court.
In the appeal filed on August 8, he sought the following reliefs:
- That the decision and consequential order of the Court of Appeal dated 30th July 2024 acquitting and discharging the Accused/Appellant/Respondents be set aside.
- That the Accused/Appellants/Respondents be ordered to continue with their defence at the trial High Court.
But in an expected fashion, Dr Ayine has filed a Notice of Abandonment of Appeal saying the state has decided not to pursue the matter anymore.
“PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Republic having previously served notice of appeal to appeal to the Court against the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on the 30th day of July 2024 hereby give(s) you NOTICE that the Republic does not intend further to prosecute the appeal, but that the Republic abandons all further proceedings with respect to this matter as from the date of this notice,” the Attorney-General wrote in the document dated January 23 sighted by The New Republic.
The decision by the AG comes barely 24 hours after he withdrew all charges against Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and businessman Seidu Agongo.
This announcement was made on Tuesday, January 28 at the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh.
Ms Enam Loh Mensah, a State Attorney, informed the court that the AG had directed the withdrawal of all charges against the two accused.
Consequently, the State filed a notice of withdrawal pursuant to the AG’s instructions.
Dr. Opuni and Seidu Agongo were standing trial on 27 counts, including charges of defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and corruption by a public officer.
The case, which has been ongoing since 2018, revolved around the alleged procurement of substandard fertilizers for COCOBOD, resulting in financial losses to the state.