The prosecution in the Ambulance case which has generated a lot of public interest, led by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, yesterday, continued the cross examination of the 3rd accused, Richard Jakpa, and startling details emerged.
The 3rd accused admitted that he sent 68 WhatsApp messages to the Attorney-General and got only 2 replies in respect of his (Jakpa’s) request for a meeting with the AG.
This was after Jakpa obtained the AG’s contact number from his cousin, supposedly to thank the AG for intervening for him (Jakpa) to be released after he was granted bail following a plea on his behalf by his cousin.
The prosecution therefore tendered the full complement of WhatsApp messages between Attorney-General and Jakpa in evidence but, the 3rd accused and his lawyers vigorously objected the tender of the full conversation between Jakpa and the AG.
The court is set to rule on their objection tomorrow, Thursday, 20th June.
Richard Jakpa confirmed in open court that the conversation between him and the AG that is in circulation and which was tendered in court by the accused persons as Exhibit 10, was not the full conversation, and they only presented the aspects of the conversation that would help their case.
The New Crusading GUIDE’s scouts in court yesterday say Jakpa also confirmed that he was commissioned in the Armed Forces in 1998 and dismissed in 2007, for misconduct, insubordination, and failure to pass the required intelligence exams 5 times within 7 years.
He failed the required intelligence exams in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, but claimed, however, that he was only a victim of victimization by the senior officers of the Armed Forces because they were envious of his exceptional performance as a soldier.
Japka was very evasive of the questions he was asked by the prosecution, and where he attempted to answer, he went beating about the bush. The judge, on many occasions, cautioned Jakpa and reminded him to answer the questions, and, indeed, she said, she got loss with testimonies.
The High Court also directed the National Security to investigate the source of audio recordings of court proceedings from the session held last week Thursday, June 13, which is circulating on some WhatsApp platforms.
It was after Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Atuah-Yeboah, who indicated that an audio recording of that day’s proceeding was making the rounds on social media.
After the request, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe retired into chambers and invited the parties involved.
The prosecution was represented by the two Deputy Attorneys General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah and Diana Asonaba Dapaah, and the Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne AttakoraObuobisa.
Subsequently, the two accused, Richard Jakpa and Dr. CassielAto Forson, were also invited into chambers.
The defense team was represented by Dr. Abdul Basit Aziz Bamba and Thaddeus Sory.
After returning from chambers, Thaddeus Sory requested a brief meeting with the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, who had arrived by then.
Justice Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, subsequently directed that National Security investigate the source of the recordings.
The Court also cautioned that if the act continues, it would be compelled to conduct the proceedings in-camera.
On June 13, the trial judge in the ongoing ambulance case Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, admitted an audio recording involving the Attorney-General and businessman Richard Jakpa into evidence.
According to her, the reasons for admitting the recording during the June 6, 2024 mistrial application still apply.
She noted that the pen drive containing the recording had been admitted in the interest of fairness, since any electronic evidence by the prosecution would have been allowed.
The controversy began when lawyers representing Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson attempted to introduce the audio recording into evidence, prompting an objection from the Attorney General, who questioned the foundation and relevance of the recording.
Stay tuned.
