The third accused in a high-profile financial crimes case, Richard Jakpa, has addressed the media for the first time since a recorded conversation between him and Attorney-General Godfred Dame was made public.
Jakpa, alongside Minority Leader and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, faces multiple criminal charges related to the ambulance case currently before an Accra High Court.
Speaking at the court premises on June 4, 2024, Jakpa discussed the tape, his safety, and his relationship with the Attorney-General.
Below are five major questions he responded to:
1. Tape is personal issue between A-G and I
Asked if he expected the A-G in court for the day’s proceedings, he responded: “I expect him to be in court because he is the Attorney-General and his issue is personally between he and I,” adding: “I am an innocent man.”
Dame was in court for the first time since Jakpa openly accused him of witness tampering in late May.
2. Authenticity of tape:
“They are claiming it is a doctored tape, I did not say that, so they should bring the original. They should tender the original to court,” he added rebutting claims by the A-G that he (Jakpa) was being disingenuous.
“If he is prosecuting innocent people, who is disingenuous?” Jakpa hit back rhetorically.
3. Conversations on crimes against state cannot be private:
“Private conversations that can lead to commission of a crimes can no longer be private, it becomes a crime against the state, so that private claim is neither here nor there,” he told the media.
4. Full trust in his lawyer’s strategy:
Asked about the fact that his tape at this stage was not in evidence, he referred to the competency of his lawyer, Thaddeus Sory.
“I am not a lawyer, my lawyer has his strategy and he understands the court processes more than I do. So he is doing what is required of him and I cannot dictate to him.
“There must be justice and I am here seeking for Justice, it is the evidence that will lead to my liberation.”
“It (meeting with Dame) cannot be a faceoff or face-to-face, we will do everything in court, I cannot cross-examine him, my lawyer will do that. Its an issue of evidence against evidence, the name of the game is evidence,” he added.
No concerns about his personal security:
“I’m a governor in the jungle, so I’m not worried about the jungle business. I’m okay in the jungle. They can try; if they succeed, fine, but they must make sure they come up with professionals.
“If they bring amateurs, it will be a death sentence for them. But they should be bringing professionals if they really want to come after me. That is all,” he cautioned.