Africa-Press – Ghana. Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the South Dayi Member of Parliament, has said the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame Yeboah, should have objected to the allegations by the third accused person, Richard Jakpa, if they were untrue and to be deleted from the court’s records in the ongoing ambulance purchase trial.
He noted that the alleged conduct of the A-G in the audio recording between Richard Jakpa borders on Mr Dame’s professional conduct as the chief state prosecutor.
According to him, besides judges, Mr Dame is presumed to be seized with greater knowledge of the law.
During cross-examination in court on Thursday, May 23, Richard Jakpa claimed that the A-G had been engaging him severally at odd hours to make a case against the first accused, Dr. Ato Forson.
Mr Jakpa was triggered by Godfred Dame’s accusations that he, [Jakpa], was in court to defend the first accused.
“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1 [Ato Forson] and I have evidence for that.. If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 when I’m here to defend myself, ” Jakpa fumed in court.
“If he pushes me, I’ll open the Pandora’s box. I have evidence to all this,” a visibly angry Richard Jakpa indicated in the presence of the Attorney-General.
However, the Office of the Attorney-General in a statement after the court proceedings on Thursday, denied the allegations emphasizing that the A-G has not in any way engaged any of the accused persons to prosecute his case.
Moreover, the statement added that the third accused person initiated plea bargaining through several requests to the state through the Attorney-General which proposal has, to date, “not been accepted.”
But the South Dayi legislator, speaking on Wednesday, May 19, emphasised that the statements made by the third accused have become part of the evidence in the trial.
“Pursuant to our evidence act, Act 323, the A-G ought to have first of all resisted and objected to this sort of evidence. Resisted in the sense that it was not true or it shouldn’t constitute part of the reocrds. And then he will laid the appropriate foundation before the judge for it to be expunged. He didn’t do that.”
“If you take away judges the Attorney-General arguably is the person who is presumed to be seized with the greater knowledge of the law…all these courtesies are extended to him, he’s given special preference in court. You don’t enjoy these privileges lightly.
“The conduct of as alleged by this third accused person Mr Richard Jakpa was not recounted by the Attorney-General in court. He’s gone into the records as we say, is formed part of the proceedings of the court, in respect of this matter,” adding, “It’s subsequently been certified by the judge and it’s been released.”
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