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The state is acting like a Leviathan — Lawyers for Ato Forson reject charges in Ambulance case

Social News The state is acting like a Leviathan — Lawyers for Ato Forson reject charges in Ambulance case
MAR 21, 2023 LISTEN

The legal team for the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has rejected the charge that he issued Letters of Credit or authorized the same for the transaction in the ambulance case.

In their submissions in court, the lawyers argued that the charge is baseless and should be dismissed outrightly.

According to the legal team, the prosecution failed to adduce sufficient evidence to support the charge. They have thus asked the court to acquit and discharge the accused.

"We submit that, to the extent that the evidence on record does not support but contradict these material allegations in the particulars of offenses for Counts 1 and 5, the prosecution has failed to adduce sufficient evidence on key ingredients of the offenses in Counts 1 and 5. Consequently, A1 must be acquitted and discharged," the legal team argued.

The lawyers stated that the prosecution of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson is an abuse of prosecutorial powers by the state, adding that the state was acting like a Leviathan, who has no regard for the rights and liberties of its citizens.

"In a reasoned decision, a court has a duty to clearly set out the legal principles and the evidence upon which the decision is based. In addition, an adversarial system like ours, where the role of the court is primarily that of an umpire, places an additional duty on the Court to explain why it prefers one piece of evidence or argument to the other after carefully weighing the evidence relied on by the prosecution and the defense," excerpts of their legal submission added.

The legal team also argued that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the allegation that Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson 'authorized' or 'caused' irrevocable Letters of Credit to be established. They stated that Exhibits A and B1, which bear the signature of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, were transmitted to the Bank of Ghana under the authority of and on behalf of the Minister of Finance, as confirmed by Exhibit 5 for A1.

The legal team has thus called on the court to dismiss the charge and acquit and discharge their client, Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.

Gideon Afful Amoako
Gideon Afful Amoako

News ReporterPage: GideonAffulAmoako

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