Breaking News: Ato Forson freed in €2.37million ambulance trial

The Court of Appeal has just acquitted and discharged Hon. Ato Forson today.

A panel of three in a 2-1 majority decision said Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe’s ruling on submission of no case to answer on March 30th, 2023 for the accused to open their defense was in error.

Breaking the news, the National Communications Officer of the NDC Sammy Gyamfi posted on social media that the order for Dr. Ato Forson to open his defence by the trial Court in the ongoing ambulance case has been set aside by the Court of Appeal.

"In short, Hon. Ato Forson’s submission of no case has been upheld.

"The Minority Leader was innocent all along.
"Shame on crooked Godfred Dame, the NPP and their cheap media surrogates.

"Enemies are not God. The day of accountability for the real criminals is soon coming. December 7 is not far," he stated.

Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, is the Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Essiam constituency in the Central Region.

He is a former deputy Minister of Finance and the current Minority Leader in Parliament.

Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa, who is a representative for Big Sea have been accused of causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.

They have pleaded not guilty to counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to wilfully causing financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and intentionally misapplying public property.

Richard Jakpa, who is a local representative of Big Sea General Trading Limited, a company based in Dubai, subsequently approached the Ministry of Health with a proposal that he had arranged for finance from Stanbic Bank for the supply of 200 ambulances to the government.

Parliament approved the financing agreement between the government and Stanbic Bank.

According to the facts, on November 19, 2012, a former Director of the Ministry of Health wrote to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) seeking approval to engage Big Sea through single sourcing for the supply of the 200 ambulances.

They added that on August 7, 2014, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, as deputy Minister of Finance wrote to the Bank of Ghana for letters of credit covering €3.95 million for the supply of 50 ambulances in favour of Big Sea.

The letters of credit were accordingly released to Big Sea.

The facts said 30 ambulances were purchased at a sum of €2.37 million but all were found not to have met ambulance specifications and therefore “not fit for purpose.”