The Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and the third accused in the ongoing ambulance case, Richard Jakpa, overturning a previous order for him to open his defense issued by the trial court.
This development marks a significant turn in the 3-year legal proceedings, exonerating Dr. Ato Forson from the allegations brought against him in the ambulance case.
Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa, a representative for Big Sea, had been accused of causing a financial loss of 2.37 million euros to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.
An inspection by Silver Star Auto, at the request of the Ministry of Health, revealed that the vehicles were not Duroriginally built as ambulances and were not fit to be converted for that purpose.
During proceedings, Dr Ato Forson’s legal team cited a leaked tape involving a conversation between the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, and the third accused, Richard Jakpa, where the Attorney General allegedly attempted to coach Jakpa to implicate Ato Forson in the trial.
His legal thus filed application for a mistrial and an inquiry into the conduct of the Attorney General in the case but the application was dismissed by the High Court in Accra, thereby prompting Dr Ato Forson to open his defence case.
Dr Forson’s legal counsel sought the Court of Appeal, which has set aside the trial court’s decision, effectively clearing Dr. Ato Forson of the need to present a defense in this case.