The Attorney-General has opposed an application to dismiss charges and terminate proceedings against Richard Jakpa, an accused in the trial of Dr. Ato Forson and another individual. The AG argued that the application was an abuse of the legal process and lacked merit.
In the affidavit opposing the application, the AG stated that no valid grounds had been presented to justify the request, which was not in line with criminal procedures and practices in Ghana. The AG claimed, “The instant application is a rush and a desperate smoke screen by the applicant to abort his legitimate prosecution for the role he played in causing financial loss to the State in the purchase of ordinary vans purporting to be ambulances.”
The AG further described the application as based on “untruths and a skilful manipulation of facts,” attempting to grant the applicant immunity from prosecution, which is contrary to Ghanaian law. The AG criticized the accused for resorting to public theatrics to discredit the prosecution and cast doubt on the court’s integrity, despite the AG’s commitment to professionalism amidst persistent insults and abuse.
The AG maintained that the prosecution was founded on solid evidence from thorough investigations. “Credible witnesses called by the prosecution have already been cross-examined by counsel for the applicant and the other accused persons, after which the Court held that a prima facie case had been duly made against all the accused persons,” the affidavit stated.
In the interest of fairness, the AG noted that all evidence intended for use at the trial had been disclosed to all parties, including documents not relied upon by the prosecution. The AG pointed out that many documents used by the accused in the trial were provided by the prosecution.
The AG argued that the application was filled with baseless allegations intended to undermine the court’s ability to dispense justice. Despite numerous “untrue and wild” allegations against the AG, none challenged the integrity or decisions of the trial court.
The AG concluded that the application was “frivolous, vexatious and a complete waste of the Court’s time.”
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