The third accused person, Richard Jakpa, has clarified a crucial detail regarding the letter from the first accused, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, concerning the establishment of Letters of Credit (LCs).
Contrary to his initial claim, Jakpa admitted that the seal on the letter was not that of the then Minister for Finance, Seth Terkper, but of the Controller and Accountant-General.
Further, Jakpa confirmed that, contrary to his assertion that the authorization was from the Minister for Finance, the seal indicated the presence of a word preceding “Minister for Finance” that began with the letter “D”.
The Deputy Attorney-General pointed out that this word was “Deputy”, indicating that the letter was authorized by the Deputy Minister for Finance, not the Minister himself.
Mr. Jakpa emphasized that the letter, which authorized the establishment of LCs for the procurement of ambulances, was correctly addressed to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and issued on behalf of the then Finance Minister, Seth Terkper. He argued that this detail is crucial for understanding the context and appropriateness of the authorization process.
Jakpa’s testimony served as a defense against allegations that Dr. Ato Forson acted improperly in the ambulance procurement process.
He emphasized that the procedure followed by Dr. Forson was consistent with standard governmental practices and that directing the letter to the BoG aligns with the usual protocols for such financial transactions. This, he argued, should mitigate claims of wrongdoing attributed to Dr. Ato Forson.
The controversy surrounding the procurement of the ambulances has seen Dr. Ato Forson accused of financial malfeasance, with prosecutors alleging that he bypassed established procedures.
However, Jakpa countered this by stating that addressing the letter to the BoG was not only appropriate but also necessary for the timely and efficient execution of the procurement.
Jakpa explained that the BoG is the correct entity for handling such transactions, as it oversees the country’s monetary policy and financial operations.
He detailed how the BoG, rather than the CAGD, is typically responsible for issuing LCs due to its role in managing the nation’s foreign exchange and international financial transactions.
This distinction, he noted, is critical in ensuring that financial processes adhere to proper channels, reinforcing that Dr. Ato Forson’s actions were in line with standard practices.
Despite Jakpa’s defense, the prosecution maintained that the seal on the document indicated the authority of the former Deputy Minister, not the Minister.