Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, was invited to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Accra over a petition for him to be investigated for allegedly fabricating evidence in the famous ambulance trial, which involved the current Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
The petition was filed by the Director of Special Operations at National Security, Richard Jakpa, who was the 3rd accused in the ambulance case, in which he wants the former AG to be investigated for alleged misconduct and attempted fabrication of evidence.
In the petition dated July 23, 2025, and addressed to the Director of the CID, Richard Jakpa accused the former AG of soliciting his cooperation to “testify in a manner to incriminate the first accused,” Dr Ato Forson, and to help “fast-track the conclusion of the case.”
According to the petitioner, during the call, the then-Attorney General advised him on how to answer questions during cross-examination, specifically regarding Letters of Credit (LCs), in a way that would implicate Dr Ato Forson, contrary to Jakpa’s own understanding of the matters.
It can be recalled that an audio recording of a phone call between Dame and Jakpa was leaked during the ambulance trial, which the now Director of Special Operations at National Security said was evidence of the former Attorney General’s attempt to coerce him to testify against Ato Forson.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the then-opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), played the 16-minute audio recording of the phone conversation supposedly between Godfred Dame and Richard Jakpa.
That day was also the day the third accused was supposed to testify in court.
Watch as over 70 lawyers accompany Dame to CID head office over Jakpa petition
Below are details of the tape:
00:00 – 08:11 minutes – Ambulance contracts, Letters of Credit, and other matters
The tape starts with Dame asking whether contract payments are usually made after goods are delivered.
Jakpa explains that while the AG is right, the financial instrument for the project was an irrevocable Letter of Credit (LC).
He explained that the contract required payment by LCs and that for every 50 ambulances out of the total of 200, an LC was required as security.
“The contract is for 200 ambulances; you establish an LC for every 50 tranche,” he stated, but Dame disagreed.
But Jakpa stressed that; “It is their letters that confirm that both from government and from the principal, an LC must be gotten for every 50 ambulances. So I cannot go against what the government and the contract say at that time.”
He went on to explain what non-advanced payment meant after a query from Dame.
“When you ship the goods from your port of origin, the Bill of Lading is what you use as LC. This means when goods are shipped (LCs are established), not when they have been delivered in Ghana.
“The contract is not saying government should establish one LC which is 15.8m euros at a go… it says to establish an LC for 50 and then for other subsequent LCs till 200 ends,” he added.
Jakpa’s complaint is baseless and malicious – Godfred Dame to CID
Jakpa also explained matters about LCs as a condition precedent: “When a Letter of Credit is established, it has a condition precedent to be honoured, which is when shipping documents are presented to Ghana International Bank. That is how the LC will be honoured. It is a security for the supplier to invest money. When the ambulance is shipped, banks will now honour the LC.
“There is no way the supplier can cash the LC before shipping because the condition precedent will be sent to GIB.”
09:11 onwards – Anti-Ato Forson and Yonny Kulendi
“Frankly speaking, as you are saying, if I agree to your position, how you want to go about it and how you want me to go about answering my questions and things, if I go by that way, frankly speaking, I will be dishonest.
“Because I know that is not how it is supposed to be, and I will be dishonest in such a way that I will be assisting someone I know to be completely innocent about this — for example, Ato Forson — to be jailed because I knew something was wrong and I decided to keep quiet and to answer the question in a way that will make your case better for you to jail him.
“I will be battling with my conscience; that is the problem I am having with Yonny Kulendi. When we went to Yonny Kulendi’s place, anytime you bring up this issue, that is the problem I am having. Because me, for example, I am in this case because I’m innocent, and I’m going through an ordeal.
“So, I’m looking at another person also going to go through an ordeal, and through me, because I know the truth and I decide not to say it because I want to help the AG make his case. And I ask myself, what is my interest in it?”
10:20 – 10:50 – Dame’s fears of being recorded
Dame butts in, expresses fears that the conversation is being recorded.
Jakpa then comes in and allays any such fears before veering into meetings at Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi’s home, where issues about the case were discussed.
“I am not asking you to help me… anyway, that is fine. Even this one, it is on the phone; I don’t even know whether anyone is recording,” Dame is heard saying.
Jakpa replies: “Oh no, you don’t need to be worried about that.”
Dame reiterates: “I don’t know whether you are recording or somebody is recording.”
Jakpa brings in Kulendi: “You and I, you’ve been meeting me at my cousin’s place, and you have been bringing this issue up several times, and I keep telling you that I cannot do that because it doesn’t sit well with me.”
10:51 – Jakpa accuses Anemana as Dame returns to matters related to the contract
“If there is somebody who authorised this payment to go on even though GIB raised issues, it is Anemana because he authorised the payment,” Jakpa is heard saying in reference to the second accused in the case, against whom the state has dropped all charges.
The issue about the former finance minister came up and was addressed by Jakpa: “Seth Terkper’s letter for suspension of production was contrary to the terms of the contract, and that letter went to the A-G’s office and it was debunked, and the A-G’s legal opinion overrode that letter.”
He said the Minister of Health honoured the LC part but refused the pre-shipment inspection under the late Sherry Ayittey’s tenure as health minister, a decision he criticised.
14:40 – Dame-Jakpa exchange over medical excuse
Dame talks about his absence and proposes Jakpa employ medical leave to delay the next sitting.
“That’s my timetable for the rest of the week. Even the whole of next week, I will not be around, so if there is a way for you not to finish next week, I would appreciate it.”
Jakpa weighs in: “I would surely not finish next week because the documents are many. So, you will surely go and come and meet me. That will also depend on the judge’s behaviour.”
Dame: “But you can do one medical excuse next week.”
Jakpa: “Ok, fine, if you bring a medical excuse next week.”
Dame: “I said you. How can I bring a medical excuse?”
Jakpa: “Ah, my brother, you want this woman to issue a bench warrant for me again? Because you can see I was on admission struggling for my life, and this woman issued a bench warrant for me….”
BAI/AE
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