Cassiel Ato Forson, the first defendant in the ongoing ambulance trial, has petitioned the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo for live coverage of the rest of the proceedings.
This request was detailed in a letter from his legal team to the Chief Justice on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
According to Dr. Ato Forson, this move is prompted by recent allegations of misconduct against Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame.
This comes after Richard Jakpa claimed in court last week that the Attorney-General had coerced him to give false testimony against Dr. Ato Forson in the trial.
Following the Jakpa’s allegations, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) released a 16-minute recording purportedly capturing a conversation between Dame and Jakpa.
The recording allegedly reveals Dame coaching Jakpa on what statements to make in court to incriminate Ato Forson.
At a press conference on May 28, NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah asserted that the tape exposed a coaching session aimed at manipulating Jakpa’s testimony.
However, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has discredited the audio recording describing it as doctored to pollute the Ghanaians minds about the ongoing legal prosecution of the former Deputy Finance Minister for allegedly causing financial loss to the State.
In light of these developments, Ato Forson argues that broadcasting the trial live would ensure transparency and uphold the principles of open justice, allowing citizens to form informed opinions and hold participants accountable.
“In the wake of the recent exposé concerning the alleged misconduct of the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, I have instructed my lawyers to petition the Chief Justice for the live broadcast of all subsequent proceedings in the Ambulance Trial. This request is motivated by a deep commitment to transparency and open justice, principles that are fundamental to a fair and impartial legal system,” he posted on social media.
By Vincent Kubi