The NDC on Tuesday May 28, 2024, organised a press conference. addressed by its Chairman, the General among Mosquitos.
They hyped the Press Conference as the ultimate showdown and proof that Godfred Dame is a criminal who is falsifying evidence against Ato Forson with the sole purpose of jailing him.
However all they managed to present was a doctored tape? A secret tape recording of a conversation that is pieced together at various places with repetitions? No part of the tape was the Attorney General heard asking Mr. Jakpa to intentionally say something that will incriminate Ato Forson. Only Jakpa is heard multiple times alluding to that.
And where is the fabrication of evidence part they hyped?
Yehowa! There is nothing in there and why are they running from their own tape by not adding it to the evidence in court ?
May the good Professor rest in Peace because where the Party is right now is very precarious.
DEM GO EXPLAIN TAYA and you want Ghanaians to consider you as a serious party waiting to run this country ?
NO STATEMENT EXISTS OF DAME LURING JAKPA TO TESTIFY AGAINST ATO FORSON – FRANK DAVIES
The NPP has asserted vehemently that the alleged audio conversation does not in any way prove that Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame asked the third accused in the Ambulance scandal, Richard Jakpa to falsely testify against Ato Forson.
The NDC at a press conference aired a 16-minute-audio purporting to be an interaction between Godfred Yeboah Dame and Richard Jakpa who acted as agent for Big Sea, contractors for the botched ambulance deal.
The NPP at a counter press conference however argued that the doctored tape does not in any way raise any damming action against Godfred Yeboah Dame.
The party’s chairman of the constitutional legal affairs committee Frank Davies asserts that “even on the Doctored tape, the Attorney General never requested the witness to falsify, fabricate or concoct any evidence or testify in the prosecution’s favour.”
Frank Davies explains that this position is gained from a careful consideration of the 16 minutes out of the 26 minutes conversation made known to the public.
According to Frank Davies, the conversation was a discussion between the two parties on the terms of the contract for the purchase of the Ambulance.
The party contends that the conversation was a mere interaction on the terms of the contract where the Attorney General sought to explain that the contract for the delivery of the ambulance which prohibited payment in advance required that payment for ambulances be done through the issuance of letters of credits upon delivery of every 50 ambulances.
It was his view that the letters of credit were only to be established after the 50 ambulances has been sent delivered in Ghana, which to him was not adhered to by the government.
Jakpa on the hand sought to explain that the contract by indicating that letters of credit ought to be established upon sighting the goods did not necessarily mean when the goods are delivered in Ghana but rather when the bill of laden is made available after the ambulances are shipped from the country of origin.
In his press engagement, Frank Davies queried, “where in the tape did the Attorney General lure the third accused (Richard Jakpa) to testify to procure evidence against the first accused (Ato Forson).?
He contends that, the claim the Attorney General sought to secure false testimony against the Ato Forson was not logical. In his view, the Attorney General had no reason to do that since his side had already made a prima facie case against the accused.
‘With the load of evidence before the court, how can the Attorney General manipulate the third accused person? Frank Davies queried
“ Indeed if the prosecution had not made any case against Ato Forson, the judge will not call upon them to open their defense. Let us throw those accusations in the dustbin of worthless material. “ Frank Davies further asserted.
AIRING 16 MINUTES OUT OF A 26-MINUTE-TAPE MOTIVATED BY MALICE – NPP
The NPP has impugned malice in the decision of the NDC as to air only 16 minutes out of the alleged 26 minutes audio conversation purporting to establish a communication between Richard Jakpa and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
The NDC on Thursday aired and circulated contents of an audio conversation between Richard Jakpa and Godfred Yeboah Dame. The NDC claimed the said audio was part a host of evidence available to them, backing claims by Richard Jakpa that Godfred Yeboah Dame sought to procure false testimony against Ato Forson.
The NPP has however discredited the content of the said recording claiming the audio is doctored.
“Even in respect of what was played, it is apparent that there are repetitions, overlaps, incoherence, voice overs and distortions, demonstrating that, the NDC has spent these past days doctoring whatever tape they played.” The party’s chairman of the legal affairs committee Frank Davies said at a press conference.
To him, no relevance should be placed on the audio as information provided by the NDC on circumstances leading to the recording suggests that the aired tape is not a fair representation of what transpired.
The NDC at its press conference showed excerpts of purported WhatsApp conversations between Godfred Yeboah Dame and Richard Jakpa.
Parts of the WhatsApp conversations shows a 26 minutes voice call between Richard Jakpa and a contact saved as Godfred Dame.
NDC Chairman Asiedu Nketiah during his press conference stated that the WhatsApp call which he said to be exhibit WhatsAPP 6 was the one aired at the press conference.
“The final WhatsAPP chat (WhatsAPP exhibit 6) dated Tuesday 9th April, 2024, shows evidence of a 26 minute phone call placed to Richard Jakpa by Godfred Dame at 7:12 am” Asiedu Nketiah said.
The NPP however at its press conference wondered why details of the entire 26n minute conversation was not put out by the NDC.
“Again, even though from the screenshots displayed, the alleged
conversation is 26mins, the NDC schemed to play only 16 minutes.
The question then is, where is the rest of the tape?’ Frank Davies asked.
To him, this can only be because the NDC did not want Ghanaians to have full benefit for the conversation which will exonerate Godfred Dame.
According to him, the actions of Asiedu Nketiah in attempting to explain the purported audio conversations was aimed at further denying Ghanaians a chance of making any objective observation about the issue.
‘It is unacceptable, that Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, runs a commentary
over the alleged tape calculated to prevent you the Ghanian people
from making your own deduction reasoned judgment.”
NDC Doctored tape proves nothing against A-G- NPP
The ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) has rejected a call by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the resignation or sacking of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame.
At a press conference in Accra, the NPP described as baseless the allegation of impropriety against the A-G by the NDC with respect to the ongoing ambulance trial of the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson.
According to the NPP, the purported audio recording which the NDC was relying to make the false allegation against the A-G was clearly doctored as the NDC at its press conference claimed it was a 26-minute audio, only to release a 16 minute audio.
“Again, even though from the screenshots displayed, the alleged conversation is 26mins, the NDC schemed to play only 16 minutes. The question then is, where is the rest of the tape,”
Even in respect of what was played, it is apparent that there are repetitions, overlaps, incoherence, voice overs and distortions, demonstrating that, the NDC has spent these past days doctoring whatever tape they played,” the NPP said.
Nothing incriminating
The press conference was addressed by the Chairman of the NPP’s Constitutional and Legal Committee, Frank Davies.
Mr Davies stated that even the doctored tape had nothing suggesting that the A-G encouraged the third accused person, Richard Jakpa, to give false testimony against Dr Forson.
“Even on the Doctored tape, the Attorney General never requested the witness falsify, fabricate or concoct any evidence or testify in the prosecution’s favour,” Mr Davies stated.
A-G remains resolute
Mr Davies said if Ato Forson has a good defence against the offence of causing financial loss of £2million against the state, he and the NDC should allow the wheels of justice to operate, and stop the “malicious orchestrations”
“We are clear in our minds that the calls for the resignation of the Attorney General is misplaced, unwarranted and this would not put any spokes in the prosecution of Cassiel Ato Forson and his associates.
Also, coming from the NDC the call for the attorney General to resign is very very rich. The AG would not resign and would continue to remain witty, resolute and focused in the delivery of his work,” Mr Davies stated.
A-G never told Jakpa to skew testimony – NPP
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described as untrue, allegations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the Attorney -General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, approached the third accused person in the ambulance trial, Richard Jakpa, to skew his testimony.
Rather, it said it was Jakpa, who had been seeking audience with the A-G, since 2022, and had also made attempts to get a plea bargaining agreement with the A-G.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Chairman of the NPP’s Constitutional and Legal Committee, Frank Davies, said Mr Dame rebuffed all attempts by Jakpa , and it was not until he (A-G) was invited to the house of a Justice of the Supreme Court, Yonny Kulendi, that he “surprisingly met Jakpa”.
According to Mr Davies, the A-G accepted the invitation of Justice Kulendi out of courtesy, respect and also because of the friendship that existed between the two.
The said meeting at Justice Kulendi’s house, he said, was in furtherance of numerous attempts by Jakpa to secure a plea bargaining agreement with the A-G.
He said Jakpa through his lawyers had written four different letters to the A-G requesting a plea bargaining for him to pay the €2million in exchange for cessation of the case, which was rejected by the A-G.
“The Supreme Court Judge therefore sought to enquire whether there was room for a Plea Bargain and the AG highlighted that he
was not opposed provided it was made in proper form and assured 3rd accused that he had nothing personally against any of the accused persons.
The AG further requested that since the charges principally focus on the public officials through whose actions the loss was occasioned, Richard Jakpa should show fidelity to the transaction records which were already on record,” he said.
Mr Davies said the assertion that the A-G wanted to convince Jakpa to give false testimony against Ato Forson was preposterous
“If the Attorney General desired to cajole the 3rd Accused as suggested, then the best avenue would have been following 3rd Accused request for the AG to propose terms acceptable to him and the several whatsap messages sent to the AG, pleading with him.
Clearly, the 3rd accused is a hired mercenary, contracted to exploit his relationship with the Supreme Court Judge, knowing the AG’s inability to disrespect the said justice when invited after failing to secure a meeting with the AG,” he added.
Attempts to stop prosecution
Mr Davies said the Minority Leader had also made fervent efforts for the A-G to discontinue the prosecution against him.
“Finally, there is also a record that 1st Accused himself, Cassiel Ato Forson, had in the company of a Senior Parliamentarian, visited the
AG in his house to plead with him to end the prosecution. The NDC in their Press Conference today have conveniently failed,refused or
neglected to respond to this fact which was also contained in the response of Ministry of Justice following the proceedings of Thursday.,” he said.