Godfred Yeboah Dame and Cassiel Ato Forson
In a noteworthy development at the High Court in Accra, the application by Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson for mistrial and an inquiry into the conduct of the Attorney General in the ongoing ambulance case has been dismissed.
The trial judge ruled that Ato Forson failed to demonstrate any statutory provisions justifying a mistrial or the need to investigate the Attorney General’s actions.
On Monday, June 3, Dr. Ato Forson filed a supplementary affidavit seeking an order of mistrial, injunction, or stay of proceedings in the ongoing case involving him and two others. The legal team representing the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam legislator referenced a leaked tape allegedly showing the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, attempting to influence the third accused, Richard Jakpa, to implicate Ato Forson in the trial.
In the affidavit, Ato Forson’s lawyers argued that the Attorney General engaged in misconduct and urged the court to declare a mistrial based on the revelations from the leaked recording. They emphasized the importance of addressing these critical issues to ensure a fair and just determination of the case.
“I have since filing the instant application had the opportunity of listening to a recording widely circulating in the media depicting the voices of the Attorney-General and A3 fervently discussing the evidence,” stated Ato Forson in the affidavit The intention is to present this audio recording during the court hearing for transparency and accountability.
The Minority Leader raised concerns over a potential erosion of public trust in the judiciary if a mistrial is not ordered in light of what he described as a blatant disregard for legal procedures and ethical standards by the Attorney General. The case’s broader implications on the rule of law and the integrity of the judicial process have sparked widespread attention and scrutiny.
By Vincent Kubi