Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI-Africa, has questioned the basis for the prosecution of Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing ambulance trial, calling it “useless” and incompetent.
Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister, along with two others, is on trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state through the importation of 30 ambulances.
This forms part of a 2012 contract between the Ministry of Health and Dubai-based firm, Big Sea Limited, for the purchase of 200 ambulances.
The prosecution’s case is that Dr. Ato Forson issued letters of credit without authorisation from his then boss, Finance Minister Seth Terkper.
However, Mr. Terkper testified in court that he did indeed authorize Dr. Ato Forson to establish the letters of credit.
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The case is continuing with the third accused, Richard Jakpa, who is currently being cross-examined.
Mr Simons took to social media, posting on X on Saturday, May 25, to voice his opinion on the matter.
Mr Simons believes the case is an attempt to silence the Minority in Parliament.
He insists that letters of credit are not payments themselves but guarantees to honour or refuse payment based on whether certain conditions are met.
“I’ve racked my brains for eons & still can’t understand why this fact so obvious to every business person isn’t clear to Ghana’s Attorney General. The case against the Minority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament for authorising an LC is INCOMPETENT. Not just bcos of this MP’s point.”
“But more importantly because of what an LC is. An LC is not a simple instruction to pay. It is a guarantee to honour or REFUSE payment if CERTAIN CONDITIONS are met/NOT MET.
“This is a pure political prosecution to muzzle the opposition in Parliament. Luckily, it isn’t working,” he posted.
As the cross-examination of Richard Jakpa proceeds, the debate over the legitimacy and motivations behind the charges against Dr. Ato Forson and the other accused continues to intensify.