Judgement in the case of Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson and two other defendants who are on trial for intentionally causing the state to lose €2.37 million in financial resources is expected from the Accra High Court by July 31.
The judge stated that the parties should cooperate and adhere to the time schedules because the case shouldn’t go past the legal break.
This happens after Dr. Aziz Basit Bamba begged the judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, to give him some time to go over a witness statement he had just received.
Background
Dr. Ato Forson, Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, as well as private businessman, Richard Jakpa, are standing trial for willfully causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state, through a contract to purchase 200 ambulances for the Ministry of Health, among other charges.
The ambulances, according to court documents, are ordinary buses which are not fit for purpose as they do not have the needed equipment that an ambulance requires.
The prosecution, led by the Attorney General and Minster for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame and Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Atakora-Obuobisa, closed its case on February 14, 2023 after calling five witnesses, including the then Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to prove its case.
The main issue raised during the prosecution’s case was whether the defective vehicles were purchased in accordance with the purchase agreement approved by Parliament.
The other was whether Dr. Forson was authorised by the substantive Finance Minister or any superior officer to write a letter to the Controller and Accountant General directing the establishment of irrevocable letters of credit (LCs) which led to the payments.
