Ato Forson granted GHS3 million bail after pleading not guilty

An Accra High Court has granted a former Deputy Minister of Finance. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson bail in the tune of three million Ghana cedis.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker is on trial for causing financial loss to the state.

Making his first appearance in court today, Dr. Forson pleaded not guilty.

The Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament together with two others, has been dragged to the High Court on five counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state.

Dr Ato Forson, when he was a Deputy Finance Minister under the Mahama administration, executed a contract by the government of Ghana to purchase some 200 ambulances for the National Ambulance Service.

Despite the granting of a medium term loan facility of €15.8 million for the 200 ambulances, only 10 were shipped to Ghana in 2014.

The two other accused are Sylvester Anemana, who was a Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, and Richard Jakpa, the Ghana representative of Dubai-based Big Sea General Trading Limited.

Mr Ato Forson, who is the first accused, has additionally been charged for intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1(2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977.

He is said to have misapplied €2.37 million by causing irrevocable Letters of Credit to be established against the budget of the Ministry of Health in favour of the Dubai-based firm.

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