Ato Forson trial: I’m not surprised; ‘they always resort to these tricks’ – Godfred Dame

Attorney-General Godfred Dame says he is not surprised that the Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and the third accused in the ambulance case Richard Jakpa have filed for the case to be thrown out.

He says they always resort to “these tricks”.

“I am not surprised they are always resorting to all these tricks, of course, we have replied as you know.

“The Lord does not delight in the pleasure of the wicked and even though they lay traps for me, I’ll flee from them. The righteous will always prevail over evil,” he told journalists after court proceedings on Tuesday, June 4.

Godfred Dame had opposed the application filed by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson for a mistrial in the ongoing ambulance case.

In the view of the A-G, the application is unknown in the laws of Ghana.

“That no proper grounds have been canvassed by the applicant to warrant a grant of this application, which is unknown to the laws governing criminal law and practice in Ghana.

“That the instant application is a smokescreen and a veiled attempt by the applicant to abort his legitimate prosecution for actions committed as a public officer which led to the State losing colossal amounts of funds. Same is incompetent as no one has immunity from prosecution under the laws of Ghana.

“That I respectfully say that the Attorney-General is vested with the constitutional responsibility to prosecute all crimes within the Republic and cannot be prohibited from discharging this constitutional duty in respect of any person in Ghana as all persons are equal before the law,” he said in his affidavit in opposition to the motion filed by Ato Forson.

Lawyers for Dr Ato Forson filed a supplementary affidavit in support of the motion on notice for an order of mistrial, injunction and or stay of proceedings in the ongoing ambulance case.

This followed the allegations made against Attorney-General Godfred Dame by Richard Jakpa.

The trending recording of a telephone conversation between Mr. Jakpa and the Attorney-General Godfred Dame, has been annexed to the affidavit.

Also, certain quotations contained in some media reports, particularly by Accra-based Asaase Radio that border on alleged professional misconduct on the part of the A-G, have been cited and annexed to the process.

Dr Ato Forson is requesting the honorable court to declare a mistrial in the interest of justice, which must not only be done but be manifestly seen to be done.

The Minority Leader avers that the Attorney-General has embarked on reprehensible and unlawful conduct, conduct unbecoming of an Attorney- General, let alone the Minister for justice, for the sole purpose of securing his conviction. And that, if the Court were to ignore these rather grave matters to proceed with the trial regardless, that would amount to a real travesty of justice, as the Court would have disregarded credible and cogent claims of misconduct by the Attorney General.

He argues that if a mistrial is not ordered and such blatant disregard for the rule of law and the ethics of prosecution by no mean a person than the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice is glossed over and allowed to pass without any consequences, public confidence in the administration of justice will be adversely affected.