Ambulance case: Attorney General will not press charges against alleged defamation – Spokesperson

Godfred Dame, Attorney-General

The Office of the Attorney General has announced that it will not pursue defamation charges against individuals allegedly spreading falsehoods about Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame in connection with the ongoing ambulance procurement case.

In a statement issued on Thursday, May 23, and signed by Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah Yeboah, the AG’s office addressed the allegations made by Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the case.

Jakpa claimed that the Attorney General sought his cooperation to secure a conviction against the first accused, Cassiel Ato Forson, a prominent figure in the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“It is rather the third accused who, by various letters dated 27 April 2023, 16 May 2023, 30 May 2023 and 12 June 2023, has proposed to the Republic through the Attorney General to engage in plea bargaining or plea negotiations. This plea bargaining proposal has, to date, not been accepted by the Attorney General,” the statement clarified.

Furthermore, the Attorney General’s office disclosed possessing video evidence of Cassiel Ato Forson allegedly meeting with the Attorney General to request the discontinuation of his prosecution.

The Attorney General’s office described the recent allegations as part of a larger strategy by the NDC to exert pressure on the Attorney General to drop the case or to distract from the substantive issues involving significant financial losses to the state.

Speaking in an interview with Asaase, Isaac Wilberforce Mensah, spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, confirmed that the AG would not pursue defamation suits.

“Defamatory suit, once again I would say now is not necessary. I mean these are political discussions and the first accused person or the first accused person has been charged with a criminal offence.”

Mensah further commented on the defence strategy in the ongoing case, stating, “So if the defence in this case is that the Attorney General had negotiations with the third accused person, if that’s the defence then it will be a bit difficult in court for the defence I should say.”

NAY/EK