Ato Forson trial: You want to outsmart strong clutches of the law but it has backfired — Kwamena Duncan to Jakpa

Richard Jakpa [left] and Kwamena Duncan

Kwamena Duncan has criticized Richard Jakpa, a third accused in the trial involving Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, over an attempt to escape the law regarding an alleged fraudulent ambulance purchase deal.

The Attorney-General, Godfred Dame filed a lawsuit against Ato Forson for failing to procure 200 ambulances for Ghana during his tenure as Deputy Finance Minister under the Atta Mills - Mahama administration.

However, 30 ambulances were purchased for €2.37 million and were found to be “not fit for purpose.”

Richard Jakpa and Ato Forson, who were at the forefront of the transaction, have been accused by the Attorney-General of causing financial loss to the state.

During the High Court trial presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Jakpa accused Attorney-General Godfred Dame of attempting to coerce him to confirm fabricated evidence in the case against Ato Forson.

However, a secret audio recording of Jakpa and the Attorney-General surfaced in court, which was previously played by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) at a press conference to implicate the Attorney-General.

The ruling NPP has described the audio recordings as "doctored," with the court demanding the full tape.

Commenting on the matter during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, former Central Regional Minister Kwamena Duncan slammed Jakpa and the NDC, asserting that the court has exposed their deception.

Duncan argued that Jakpa is attempting to outsmart the legal system indicating that the NDC's strategy to tarnish the Attorney-General's reputation has backfired, especially since it was revealed that the tape played by the NDC was only a partial version of the conversation between the Attorney-General and Jakpa.

Duncan further noted that it was Jakpa, not the Attorney-General, who initiated conversation, seeking a plea bargain.

According to him, evidence showed that Jakpa had sent over 60 WhatsApp messages to Godfred Dame, who replied only twice.

"When you look at his life, indeed this is only a person who wants to be smart. Who after doing what he did wants to use some means to be able to get himself out of the strong clutches of the law," Duncan concluded.