Mr Anthony Kwaku Boahen, a former Deputy Director of Communications, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has dared the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to counter the NDC’s audio evidence on the Ato Forson trial with theirs.
He said the NPP should back their claims that the NDC’s audio was doctored by making their own audio evidence available to prove to Ghanaians that indeed the NDC was telling lies.
“If you think our audio is doctored, the right thing to do is to bring your audio so that all Ghanaians will know that we the NDC are lying, but even though you are disputing our audio, you have failed to counter it,” he said.
Mr Boahen threw the challenge during a discussion on an Accra-based television programme.
Dr Casiel Ato Forson, a Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Mr Richard Jakpa, a businessman, have been accused of causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the State in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.
They have pleaded not guilty.
Mr Jakpa, on Thursday, May 23, 2024, alleged that Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, had approached him at odd hours to “implicate” the former Deputy Finance Minister, a claim the A-G subsequently denied.
The NDC, during a press conference, claimed that evidence available to them – both in audio and WhatsApp messages – showed that the A-G had engaged in “professional misconduct” and demanded his immediate dismissal.
However, the A-G in a media statement rejected the claims and denied the allegations and insinuations of the NDC.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Frank Davies, Chairman, Legal and Constitutional Committee, NPP, described the said audio evidence published by the NDC as doctored and urged the public to disregard the content.
Mr Boahen questioned why the A-G did not raise objections when Mr Jakpa accused him in Court but rather issued a statement later.
“It is surprising that the A-G raised an objection that Mr Jakpa’s statements in court were favouring Dr Forson but was not able to raise an objection when Mr Jakpa leveled accusations against him,” he said.
He described the trial as a witch-hunt of Dr Forson.
However, Mr Manasseh Atta Boahene, Government spokesperson on the economy, debunked the allegation that Government was witch-hunting Dr Forson.
“It is not in the interest of Government to witch-hunt anyone. If there were no illegalities involved, we wouldn’t have taken it to court. The mere fact that there have been requests for a plea bargain shows that something untoward happened,” he said.
He said the Court should be allowed to carry out its investigations to establish the truth of the matter.
Mr Boahene said the A-G did nothing wrong by issuing a statement on Mr Jakpa’s allegations and not reacting in court because the A-G would also get his opportunity for a cross examination.
GNA
KK
04 June 2024
