The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) yesterday made valiant efforts to scuttle the on-going trial of their party member, Cassiel Ato Forson, who is standing trial for causing financial loss to the State. They want the prosecutor in the case, Godfred Dame, to be sacked, possibly paving the way to delay or even bring the trial to an end.
Not to be outdone, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) came to the defence of the beleaguered Godfred Yeboah Dame, describing him as one of the most successful Attorney-General’s in the history of Ghana, so successful, that he seems not to have the good sense not to be exchanging private meetings and communication with an accused person in the absence of the accused person’s lawyer, thereby scandalizing the High Court.
Caught in the middle is a Supreme Court justice. A soap opera could not have been better written.
Ato Forson and the NDC’s desperation is understandable. The Godfred Yeboah Dame-led prosecution have closed their case against Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in parliament. Ato Forson is facing a charge of causing financial loss to the state. The court has ruled that he has a case to answer. He has even opened his defence, and indeed closed his defence. In all likelihood, if Ato Forson is indeed guilty, then the evidence is already on record. Normally, when an accused person opens his defence, there is a suggestion that there is a prima facie case to answer.
He may not have been convicted yet, but there is a need for him to establish his innocence. And he has already done so. With his testimony over, a judgment is on the horizon. It may not be next week, or next two weeks, or a month away, but it is coming.
So, the heat is rising, on him, and on his party. And only a fool will sit by and allow disaster to be his lot. In a very real sense, everything must be done to scuttle this trial.
Then, conveniently, Ato Forson’s fellow accused person, the 3rd Accused, Richard Jakpa, enters the ballot box, and in the midst of cross-examination, and lets fly at the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, that he has been trying to coerce him (Jakpa) to give testimony against Ato Forson.
Predictably, since Jakpa made this ‘revelation’ in court, the NDC has been running a mile a minute with the claim, and have sworn that it would prosecute Yeboah Dame if given a chance at power.
The NDC after roundly slicing and dicing Godfred Dame yesterday, demanded the following in a press conference;
- The immediate and unconditional resignation or dismissal of Godfred Dame for bringing the high office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice into disrepute and public opprobrium, saying that clearly, Mr. Dame is not fit to hold himself out as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and allegedly unfit to be the Leader of the Ghanaian Bar;
- The immediate prosecution of Godfred Dame for multiple violations of the laws of Ghana with a call on President Akufo-Addo fail to prosecute him, a future NDC government will prosecute Godfred Dame for this heinous crime of fabrication of evidence.
- Commencement of disciplinary proceedings by the General Legal Council against Godfred Dame and his disbarment for conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and more importantly the leader of the Ghana Bar.
- A publicly-televised Parliamentary inquiry into this and other reports of judicial manipulations by Godfred Dame with a view to censure Godfred Dame to prevent the recurrence of such judicial manipulations.
In reply, the NPP also held a press conference in which it praised Mr. Dame in glowing terms, saying that the meetings he had with Japka were in pursuit of Jakpa’s attempts at securing a plea bargain.
They accused NDC of tampering with evidence and doctoring a tape to secure a certain position in the eyes and minds of the public. The NPP said in conclusion of their lengthy press conference addressed by Mr. Frank Davies, the NPP’s Legal Committee Chairman;
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me again put on record, that in the 4th Republic, the current Attorney General, Hon. Godfred Yeboah, Dame, has been one of the most successful both in and out of Court.
As remarkably noted by the President at the last State of the nation’s Address, he had successfully saved the state over GHS10trillion and his verve in protecting public resources is shown by his commitment to the prosecution of public officials whose acts resulted in financial loss. This is beside the other several infrastructure and logistics improvement to the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of justice including the almost completed Law House.
Conclusion
Ladies and Gentlemen, if it is the firm belief of the NDC and Ato Forson that no loss had occasioned the state from his conduct, then they should remain faithful to our judicial system and cease these malicious orchestrations targeted at bastardising our judicial system prevent him from standing trial to conclusion.
We are clear in our minds that the calls for the resignation of the Attorney General is misplaced, unwarranted and this would not put any spokes in the prosecution of Cassiel Ato Forson and his associates. Also, coming from the NDC the call for the attorney General to resign is very very rich. The AG would not resign and would continue to remain witty, resolute and focused in the delivery of his work.
The wheels of justice they say grinds slowly but eventually, it grinds to a halt.
