The third accused person in the ongoing ambulance procurement case, Richard Jakpa, has accused Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame of tampering with the WhatsApp messages he sent him.
Jakpa made this assertion during the continuation of his cross-examination on Thursday, June 20, 2024, raising controversy and questions about the integrity of the evidence presented by the Attorney-General’s department.
During cross-examination led by Director of Public Prosecutions Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Jakpa stated emphatically that the WhatsApp messages submitted by the Attorney-General as evidence were not in their original form. He argued that the content had been altered to misrepresent his communications, thereby distorting the truth of his interactions with the AG.
Earlier, the High Court in Accra had admitted into evidence 68 WhatsApp messages allegedly sent by Richard Jakpa. The Trial judge Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe noted that the court had previously admitted WhatsApp chats from the third accused and therefore could not reject what the prosecution described as the complete conversation. However, she emphasized that the court reserves the right to determine the weight of the evidence presented.
Mr Jakpa then insisted that the total messages he sent to Mr Dame were not up to 68, saying other messages from other quarters had been added to shore up the numbers.
In answer to a question that he took advantage of the relationship between him and the AG, the third accused shot back, describing the claims as “completely false and dishonest.” But the DPP said that is false and a figment of his (Jakpa’s) imagination.
Explaining further, Jakpa said if there was anybody he had to take advantage of, that would have been his cousin, Supreme Court judge Justice Yonni Kulendi, and not the AG. Mr. Jakpa, who sounded very upset at this stage, also narrated that the AG was the one who arranged for a meeting with him and not the other way around. He said the AG informed him of plans to arrange a meeting through Justice Kulendi, which eventually took place in February 2022.
During the cross-examination, Jakpa again insisted on his earlier claims that the first accused person, Dr Ato Forson was the intended target of the “persecution.”
He also noted that he was used as “collateral damage” to get the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam jailed at all costs.
Jakpa also accused the AG of dishonesty and perpetuating an evil agenda to have an innocent person incarcerated.
Richard Jakpa further told the court that former Finance Minister Seth Terkper and Sherry Ayittey contributed to the current state of affairs.
“In 2017 I went on Joy FM to discuss how Seth Terkper had sabotaged the ambulance trial. Ato Forson called in to defend his boss and I exchanged words with Ato Forson and told him to stick to his parliamentary work because Hon Seth Terkper started sabotaging this project right from the time he was Deputy Minister of Finance.”
“I told him on the radio to get his boss to come and respond to me. I told the Attorney-General that because of this as of July 17, 2022, that he should make me the prosecution witness to expose Seth Terkper and Sherry Ayittey.” Jakpa noted.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
