Defence Minister is competent to release military documents …CDS tells court

 The Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, has confirmed to the Financial and Economic Division of the High Court that the Minister of Defence has the right to release documents relating to a staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The CDS in his answers to questions posed by Mr Richard Jakpa’s lawyer, who had sub­poenaed him, noted that the Armed Forces is made up of the Military Division and the Civilian Division.

He told the court presid­ed over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe that he is in charge of the military wing of the Ghana Armed Forces and the

Chief Director of the Ministry of Defence is in charge of the administrative or civilian wing of the GAF.

Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, further stated that both his office and that of the Chief Director are answer­able to the Minister of Defence.

To this end, the Minister of Defence can release a document to another public officer such as the Minister of Justice and Attor­ney-General and the Minister for Defence would not necessarily have to consult the office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) before doing so.

Mr Jakpa and his lawyers led by Thaddeus Sory, had subpoe­naed the army chief to testify in support of Mr Jakpa’s case and to prove, among others, that the document tendered in evidence by the Attorney-General, was not properly obtained from the office of the Chief of Defence Staff.

After the lawyer for Richard Jakpa led the witness to give his evidence in chief, the lawyer for Cassiel Ato Forson, Dr Abdul Bassit Bamba, took his turn to cross-examine the CDS.

When he concluded his cross-examination, the Attor­ney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame cross-examined the CDS, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah.

The CDS told the court that Mr Jakpa, the third accused per­son in the case of the Republic versus Cassiel Ato Forson and two others, in the ambulance case, was a bad example in the Ghana Armed Forces by all standards.

A major bone of contention among the parties in the case bordered on Mr Jakpa’s dismiss­al document from the Ghana Armed Forces where he once served as an officer.

 The document tendered into evidence by Mr Dame, indicated that Mr Japka was dishonorably released from the military as a result of gross indiscipline and misconduct.

 Mr Jakpa’s lawyer, however, contended when giving evidence, that he (Jakpa) was not released from the military on grounds of misconduct, but he was released honourably.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA

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