Ambulance case: I'll never manipulate a trial I’ve succeeded in establishing prima facie

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame has refuted claims that he attempted to manipulate the ongoing ambulance scandal trial.

In a statement dated May 23, the AG said "The Republic has never required or desired the cooperation of any of the accused persons in the matter, in which it has already succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against all the accused persons."

Mr Dame made this known in response to allegations made in court by the third accused in the case, Richard Jakpa.

Mr Jakpa had claimed the AG wanted his cooperation to secure a conviction against the first accused, former Deputy Minister of Finance Cassiel Ato Forson.

However, the AG said "Neither the Attorney-General nor any officer from the Office of the Attorney-General has approached any of the accused persons with the view to obtaining evidence from them."

He further noted that "Even though the law on plea bargaining passed by Parliament permits a prosecutor to negotiate with an accused person after a plea proposal has been made, the Attorney-General has not engaged the third accused person to give false testimony in the matter."

The ambulance case involves the purchase of ambulances instead of operational ambulances during the Mahama administration.

Former Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and two others have been accused of wilfully causing financial loss to the state.