Judge Set to Decide Fate of Ato Forson Prosecution on Thursday
- Judge overseeing the ambulance case is poised to deliver ruling on Thursday, June 6
- Both Ato Forson and Jakpa have separately moved to halt their prosecutions
- Legal maneuvers have intensified
The judge presiding over the contentious ambulance case has scheduled Thursday, June 6, as the day for delivering a verdict on whether to cease the prosecution of Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson and co-accused Richard Jakpa.
Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa separately filed motions seeking to halt their prosecutions following allegations raised by Jakpa during cross-examination.
Jakpa claimed that the Attorney General had contacted him at unusual hours to implicate Ato Forson. Subsequently, the NDC aired an audio recording between Jakpa and Godfred Dame, purportedly substantiating the accusations.
In response, Ato Forson’s legal team filed for a mistrial, while Jakpa sought to have the charges against them dismissed.
Prior to these motions, Ato Forson’s lawyers had also filed for a stay of proceedings pending an appeal, compelling cross-examination of Jakpa before the Attorney General’s turn.
During the hearing, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe announced that rulings on all pending motions would be delivered on Thursday.
However, the judge permitted Richard Jakpa’s counsel to object to certain aspects of the Attorney General’s sworn statement opposing the motion to dismiss the charges.
Thaddeus Sory, representing Jakpa, argued that the facts in the Attorney General’s affidavit were based on hearsay and lacked firsthand knowledge. Conversely, Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame contended that the principal state attorney, who deposed to the affidavit, had obtained knowledge of the facts through official duties.
The case is adjourned until June 6 for the court to render decisions on the pending motions.