The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has hinted his office will appeal the Court of Appeal’s ruling declaring Minority leader Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa innocent in the ongoing ambulance case.
The High Court, Accra, on June 6 dismissed the application by Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson for mistrial and to undertake an enquiry into the conduct of the Attorney General in the ongoing Ambulance case.
According to the trial judge, the minority leader has not shown any statute provisions that warrant a mistrial in this case nor to enquire into the affairs of the Attorney General.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, a panel of three in a 2-1 majority decision said Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe’s ruling on a submission of no case to answer on March 30, 2023, for the accused to open their defense was in error thereby acquitting and discharging the accused persons.
However the Attorney-General in a statement “considered the decision of the Court of Appeal to be perverse in the quest for public accountability and the rule of law. The decision clearly is heavily against the weight of the cogent evidence led by the prosecution in substantiation of all the charges against the accused persons at the trial”.
Godfred Dame argued that the relevant facts of the matter, as borne out by the undisputed evidence led so far, show that; vehicles purporting to be ambulances were imported into the country in December 2014 in violation of the contract governing the transaction including the then Minister for Health, Ms. Sherry Aryittey cautioning against the importation of the vehicles into the country among others,
In view of this, AG believes that the decision of the Court of Appeal is grossly unfair to the nation and inimical to the fight against impunity and abuse in public office.
“The Office will promptly file an appeal in order to erase the effect of this erroneous decision of the Court of Appeal”, he stressed.
Read full statement below
