The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has debunked claims that the government is deliberately abusing incumbency to frustrate members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
His comments follow Chairman of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia’s description of the court case against the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, as persecution.
Speaking at the NDC Moment of Truth press conference on May 28, he said “The Akufo-Addo government has been persecuting the Minority Leader over the purchase of an ambulance. This is political witch-hunting and persecution,” he stressed.
But Alexander Afenyo-Markin says these allegations are false and that the NPP finds no pleasure in witch-hunting the NDC.
According to him, if the government had such plans, it would have prosecuted the former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and some former NDC ministers when they were found to be taking double salaries.He explained that although many NPP extremists pushed for them to be prosecuted when the NPP came into power, President Akufo-Addo said it was unnecessary.
“Many of the extremists in NPP said no, they should be prosecuted. That was a straightforward case. But a lot of the leading NDC MPs who were ministers were caught in that web. Akufo -Addo said no. Why prosecute the large number of political class? No, it’s not right. In any serious democracy, look a certain consideration. So what will be the gain?
“If Haruna Iddrisu, Armah Kofi Buah and all others were thrown into jail, it was a straightforward case, You’ve been paid up, you have taken it. We could have read dishonesty in it. We could have read fraud, but the government said no. So I don’t want anybody to create the impression that this government is out there to attack its opponents,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the first accused person in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial, has applied for a mistrial.
He cited recent developments involving a leaked telephone conversation between the third accused in the case, Richard Jakpa and Attorney-General, Godfred Dame.
A mistrial occurs when a jury is unable to reach a verdict and there must be a new trial with a new jury; or there is a serious procedural error or misconduct that would result in an unfair trial, and the judge adjourns the case without a decision on the merits and awards a new trial.
In his affidavit filed on Friday, May 31, Dr Ato Forson highlighted concerns regarding the leaked tape, which he believes demonstrates professional misconduct on the part of the AG.
Background
Richard Jakpa, under cross-examination, revealed that the Attorney General had been contacting him at unusual hours to solicit testimony against the Minority Leader, Dr Ato Forson.
This revelation, strengthened by a 16-minute phone conversation between Mr Jakpa and the Attorney General, has sparked discussions among Ghanaians, with some persons calling for the resignation of Attorney General, Godfred Dame.
Dr Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister and current Minority Leader, is currently on trial for his alleged involvement in the procurement of defective ambulances for Ghana. He is accused of causing financial loss to the state to the tune of 2.3 million Euros.
At a recent press conference, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) played a 16-minute tape allegedly featuring a conversation between the Attorney General and Jakpa.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted the claims made in the audio, asserting that it has been “doctored and manipulated” with malicious intent.
However, the Attorney General has personally not commented on the tape, although his office has sought to downplay it, saying he will remain at post.
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