Ambulance case: Gofred Dame asked me to incriminate Ato Forson - Witness reveals

A shocking drama unfolded in court on Thursday, May 23, during the ongoing ambulance purchase trial when Richard Jakpa, the third accused, made serious allegations against Attorney-General (A-G) Godfred Yeboah Dame. Jakpa claimed in open court that the A-G had approached him multiple times, seeking his assistance to implicate Minority Leader and former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

The allegations surfaced during cross-examination by Dr Forson’s counsel, where Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe repeatedly admonished Jakpa to provide direct answers rather than evading questions and wasting the court’s time. Responding to the judge's caution, A-G Godfred Yeboah Dame accused Jakpa of defending the Minority Leader. This accusation prompted a fiery reaction from Jakpa, who asserted that the A-G had contacted him at odd hours to build a case against Dr Forson.

“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1, and I have evidence for that… If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 when I’m here to defend myself,” Jakpa fumed in court. “If he pushes me, I’ll open the Pandora’s box. I have evidence to all this,” he added, visibly angry.

The courtroom drama left Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson visibly shocked and angered by the revelations. To calm the situation, Justice Serwah Asare-Botwe ordered Jakpa to lower his voice and requested water to be brought to him. Jakpa, however, refused to drink the water, stating he was too upset to drink despite accepting the bottle.

Following the heated exchange, the judge temporarily stood down the case and called for a discussion with the Attorney-General and Dr. Ato Forson's lawyers.

The trial involves the former Deputy Finance Minister and two others who face charges of causing financial loss to the state over the importation of 30 ambulances. These ambulances were part of a contract between the Ministry of Health and Dubai-based firm Big Sea Limited in 2012 for the purchase of 200 ambulances.

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