The businessman standing trial with the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, for causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in an ambulance deal, Richard Jakpa, told the court that the first 10 ambulances that arrived at the port were only meant to be packed and not for use.
Winding up on his defence under the cross-examination of the Attorney-General, the businessman has told the High Court, when the AG put it to him that the ambulances were not fit for purpose that “They (the ambulances) were not fit for purpose because a letter had been written instructing you (government) not to use them.”
He added that the letter requested the Ministry of Health to take urgent steps to clear and transfer the ambulances to a safe packing space.
Following the directive, he said his principal, Big Sea Trading LLC, was supposed to bring in professionals to train government’s paramedics on the use of the ambulance and its equipment.
He further disagreed with the prosecution’s claim that a post-delivery inspection rendered the ambulances as not fit for purpose.
The Attorney-General suggested to Jakpa that, “Between yourself and Big Sea, you received about 50 per cent of the sum of € 2.3 million paid under the ambulance contract as profit and that is why you couldn’t deliver to the nation genuine ambulances.”
Answering the question before the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, he said the government paid for the smaller version of the vehicle (Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 309).
The 3rd accused added that at the time that the letters of credit were established by government, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 309 was no longer in production and that his company purchased a more spacious model Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 311 at a cost borne by Big Sea.
“Big Sea wanting to maintain the contractual marriage of government and looking ahead for future business relationship, decided to absorb the extra cost at its detriment and it was one of the reasons why Big Sea refused to pay Jakpa at Business its entitlement for services rendered,” he said.
The AG suggested that the first batch of ambulances arrived in Ghana in December 2014. Richard Jakpa vehemently denied this, insisting that the ambulances arrived in 2015.
To support his claim, the Attorney-General presented documents labelled Exhibit AE, which included a letter from Alex Segbefia, the Health Minister at the time.
The letter, read aloud in court, stated that the first batch of delivered ambulances was not fit for purpose.
Despite this, Jakpa maintained that Segbefia had made an error regarding the arrival date.
The AG then directed Jakpa to read Exhibit AC, a letter from Big Sea LLC to the Minister of Health, which confirmed the same arrival date as Segbefia’s letter.
Additionally, it was revealed that Big Sea’s ISO certification, which qualifies the company to convert regular vehicles into ambulances, was only acquired in April 2015.
