Attorney General Refuses To Recuse Himself From Ambulance Procurement Case

• The Attorney General, Godfreed Yeboah Dame, has refused to recuse himself from the ongoing ambulance procurement case
• This is despite the presiding judge advising him to recuse himself to protect the integrity of the proceedings
• He said he had no intention of stepping down and would see the case to its very end

Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has refused to recuse himself from the ongoing ambulance procurement case.

This was after the judge presiding over the case, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, advised the Attorney General to recuse himself after allegations accusing Godfred Dame of professional and prosecutorial misconduct were levelled against him by the first and third defendants in the case, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa.

The judge had argued that the Attorney General’s continued involvement in the case could cast doubt on the entire judicial process.

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She said his stepping aside would protect the proceedings and ensure public confidence in the trial.

However, following the court proceedings, the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, told the media that he has no intention of stepping aside from the case.

He said he was going to see the case to its conclusion.

He noted that the judge had clarified that her statements had only been advice, not a directive.

He said as such, he would go on to conduct the trial.

Dame also expressed satisfaction with the court’s dismissal of Dr Ato Forson’s application to declare the proceedings a mistrial and other applications filed against them.

He said the dismissal of the cases has vindicated him.

“I will say that this clearly shows that a group of people in this country who ride on manipulations of facts, distortions and deceptions are seeking to mislead the public. Today, they have been exposed," he said.

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Dame will not be investigated

Justice Asare-Botwe also dismissed an application filed by Dr Ato Forson, praying that the court inquire into the Attorney General’s conduct in the ambulance procurement case.

She argued that there is no legal basis to sanction a public inquiry into the Attorney General’s conduct.

Dr Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa are on trial for allegedly causing the state a €2.37 million financial loss by purchasing 200 ambulances for the Health Ministry during the erstwhile Mahama administration.

Richard Jakpa defends recording the Attorney General

YEN.com.gh reported that Richard Jakpa had defended his decision to record his private conversation with Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame.

The recording captures Dame and Richard Jakpa discussing a case involving a €2.37 million financial loss to the state.

Jakpa said the attorney general had pressured him to provide testimony that he felt was false.

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“They have laid traps for me”: Godfred Dame breaks silence after Richard Jakpa leaked tape scandal

Proofread by Berlinda Entsie, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh