The Accra High Court is set to decide on the potential admission of 68 WhatsApp messages sent by Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial, to Attorney-General Godfred Dame, along with two responses from the AG.
During the proceedings on Tuesday, June 18, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, emphasized the significant volume of messages sent by Mr. Jakpa compared to the Attorney-General’s limited responses. The DPP aimed to introduce all the WhatsApp messages sent by Mr. Jakpa into evidence.
Mr. Jakpa acknowledged that he had introduced himself to the Attorney-General before the trial and had obtained the Justice Minister’s contact information through his cousin, Supreme Court Judge Justice Yonny Kulendi.
Under cross-examination, Mr. Jakpa admitted that the messages presented in court did not include the entire conversation but were selected based on their relevance to his case.
The DPP’s attempt to submit the WhatsApp conversation as evidence faced objections from Mr. Sory, counsel for Mr. Jakpa, who argued that the defence required additional time to thoroughly review the messages.
Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, presiding over the case, then sought input from Dr. Bamba, counsel for the first accused, regarding objections to the submission.
Dr. Bamba objected to the document’s submission, citing the lack of color printing in the document, which also surprised the judge since the printout provided by Mr. Jakpa similarly lacked color.
Following these objections, the court instructed the DPP to defer the submission of the messages until the defence had sufficient time to examine them. This review was scheduled for today’s session.
The trial, which revolves around the procurement of ambulances, has attracted significant public attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused and the substantial implications for the country’s healthcare system.
The outcome of today’s session is eagerly anticipated as it will determine whether the WhatsApp messages will be admitted as evidence, potentially impacting the direction of the trial.
The court’s decision will be pivotal in establishing the relevance and admissibility of digital communications in legal proceedings.