Former Attorney-General Godfred Dame Clarifies Involvement in Ambulance Procurement Trial
Former Attorney-General Godfred Dame has addressed his involvement in the controversial ambulance procurement trial, clarifying that a secretly recorded phone call with businessman Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the case, was the only conversation he had with him during the trial.
At a press conference on February 14, Mr. Dame explained that his advice to Jakpa to obtain a medical report was not malicious but rather a genuine suggestion, given Jakpa’s health condition and Dame’s own tight schedule due to an international case he was handling.
“Not knowing he himself had that illicit agenda and was secretly recording and was saying the things that he got on the tape, which came from him and not from me,” Mr. Dame remarked.
The former Justice Minister further clarified that Jakpa successfully obtained an adjournment in court based on his health condition, reinforcing his argument that his advice was purely factual.
“When he went, he actually obtained the adjournment because he was not well. So the fact of my asking him to obtain a medical certificate because he was not well was nothing but factual,” he explained.
Mr. Dame’s statements follow the announcement by Attorney-General Dominic Ayine that the controversial ambulance trial had been discontinued, a case that had garnered significant public and political attention.
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Background
In May 2024, during cross-examination, Richard Jakpa revealed that the then-Attorney General had been contacting him at unusual hours to solicit testimony against the then Minority Leader and now Finance Minister, Dr. Ato Forson.
This revelation stirred public debate, with some calling for Mr. Dame’s resignation over the matter. Dr. Ato Forson was facing trial for his alleged involvement in the procurement of defective ambulances for Ghana.
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