Ambulance procurement case: AG releases rejected plea bargain offer by 3rd accused

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame

The Attorney General has rejected a plea bargain offer made by the third accused in the ongoing ambulance procurement case, according to documents seen by this portal.

Richard Jakpa, the Board Chair of Jakpa Business Limited which acted as the agent for Big Sea LLC to supply the ambulances to the state, had proposed a plea bargain deal through letters on April 27, May 16, May 30 and June 12, 2023.

He offered to pay €2 million in two instalments in return for the state dropping all charges against himself and the other accused persons - former Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, and another individual.

However, the plea bargain was declined in a letter dated May 30, 2023 by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the AG's office, Mrs. Atakora-Obuobisa.

In a statement, the AG dismissed allegations by Mr. Jakpa on Thursday, May 23, 2024, that he was seeking cooperation to complicate evidence against Ato Forson.

The AG said "it is rather the third accused who has proposed plea bargaining, which is yet to be accepted."

Mr. Jakpa had claimed during his cross-contamination that the AG engaged him at odd hours to implicate Ato Forson, which the AG denies.

The AG 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."

See copies of the plea bargain as well as the AG’s response below: