The prosecution in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial has for the first time admitted that Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame met with the 3rd accused person Richard Jakpa at the residence of Supreme Court judge, Justice Yonny Kulendi.
That meeting, according to the state, was however not arranged, and Richard Jakpa coincidentally “only appeared” at the judge’s residence when the Attorney General was visiting.
Thursday’s affirmation was the first time the Prosecution had confirmed what Richard Jakpa has on some occasions said during cross-examination in the ongoing trial, that he met Godfred Yeboah Dame at Justice Yonny Kulendi’s house on several occasions.
The affirmation of the Attorney General’s meeting with Richard Jakpa was couched in a question put to the 3rd accused person by the Director of public prosecution, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa.
The question put to Richard Jakpa was that “he (Richard Jakpa) only appeared at Justice Kulendi’s house when the Attorney General was there”.
Richard Jakpa in response said “It is not true that I appeared at my cousin’s house that day and met the Attorney General. In fact, the one who ambushed me on 25th March 2024 at around 12 midnight, was the Attorney General in my cousin’s house”an angry Jakpa told the court on Thursday, June 20.
Prosecution further contended and put to Richard Jakpa that “The Attorney General never arranged the meeting and that it is false and a figment of your imagination”.
In his answer, Richard Jakpa described the prosecution’s claim as false.
“It is false”he said. He further explained that “All that I have explained was what took place when he (Attorney General) arranged and we had that meeting that night. Even though I had prior to that day spoken with him on Justice Kulendi’s phone when I was securing my bail” Richard Jakpa told the court.
The prosecution further suggested to the 3rd accused that there is nowhere on the WhatsApp chats between him and Attorney General, that shows the Attorney General arranged that meeting.
Richard Jakpa, who is standing trial together with the Minority leader of Parliament Dr Casel Ato Forson, for willfully causing financial loss to the state in processes leading up to the purchase of some ambulances for the state to the tune of 2.3 million Euros in his response said, he asked for a meeting with the Attorney General and not an arrangement.
He further contended that “the Attorney General had the opportunity to decline my request for a private meeting, knowing very well that his legal profession does not allow for him to arrange for a meeting with me”.
That response by the 3rd accused created an altercation between the trial judge and lawyer for Richard Jakpa, Thaddeus Sory who disagreed on the manner in which the 3rd accused was answering questions put to him by the prosecution. When everyone calmed down after the heated exchange, the 3rd accused continued from where he left off and said, “The Attorney General did not say he would arrange it through me, but through my cousin. My cousin called me that I should come home because the Attorney General said he was going to have a meeting with me. And because the Attorney General had earlier sent me this WhatsApp message that “I will arrange between your brother. Thanks,” the time of the meeting was between my cousin and the Attorney General.”
According to Richard Jakpa, Godfred Yeboah Dame put into action the text message he had sent to him to meet him at Justice Kulendi’s house, where he felt comfortable.
The prosecution will continue to cross-examine the 3rd accused next week, but it is unclear if it will be on Tuesday or on Thursday.
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