- Chief of Defence Staff denies releasing Jakpa's dismissal letter.
- Letter detailed misconduct and breaches of military protocols.
- Jakpa's lawyers objected to its relevance in court.
- CDS claims no involvement in releasing the letter.
Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, the Chief of Defence Staff, has categorically denied releasing the dismissal letter of Richard Jakpa to the Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul. During the ongoing ambulance trial, the Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, introduced a letter purportedly written to dismiss Jakpa from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in 2007.
The letter, allegedly originating from the office of the Defense Minister, detailed allegations of misconduct and breaches of military protocols leading to Jakpa’s dismissal. Jakpa’s lawyers objected to the tendering of the letter, questioning its relevance to the trial.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, admitted the document into evidence, noting that the witness had already acknowledged the document and could speak to it. The judge emphasized that the cover letters were official documents and were admissible to establish credibility or otherwise.
During Monday’s court session, the CDS was questioned by Jakpa’s lawyer about the release of the letter. Lieutenant General Oppong-Peprah reiterated that he had not released the letter to the Defense Minister, stating that he had never received any request to do so.
He emphasized that as the Chief of Defence Staff, he had not been involved in the release of any document related to Jakpa’s dismissal. The CDS’s denial raises questions about how the Minister of Defense obtained the document and its authenticity.
