Richard Jakpa has petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame for alleged misconduct in court proceedings, accusing him of pressuring Jakpa to give false testimony to implicate Hon. Dr. Ato Forson in the case The Republic v Cassiel Ato Forson & 2 Ors (Suit No. CR/0198/2022).
In the petition, Jakpa, the third accused in the case, claims Godfred Dame pressured him to deliver false evidence under oath, attempting to “dishonestly, wickedly and without an iota of conscience” implicate Dr. Forson, the first accused.
“Godfred Dame solicited my co-operation to testify in a manner to incriminate the first accused and to help fast track the conclusion of the case,”the petition stated.
“The testimony to incriminate Hon. Dr. Ato Forson after I opened my defence led to a phone call to me on the 26th Day of March 2024 by the learned Attorney-General when I was to appear in the High Court to continue my evidence in chief
in terms of the witness statement I had filed,” he added.
Jakpa states that during a phone call on March 26, 2024, Dame directed him to testify against Dr. Ato Forson contrary to Jakpa’s own understanding of key evidence, specifically relating to Letters of Credit.
Excerpts of the petition reads, “In that telephone conversation, Godfred Dame directly engaged me on the subject of the Letters of Credit (LCs) as an Attorney-General of the Republic of Ghana and stated how he thought I should answer questions regarding the Letters of Credit during cross-examination contrary to my honest understanding and knowledge of how Letters of Credit work.”
The former Attorney General’s scheme, Jakpa claims, went as far as advising him to fabricate a sick note to delay court proceedings an act that would amount to the serious criminal offense of fabricating evidence.
“He further said he would be travelling out of the country and not able to be in court at the next adjourned date and that I seek an adjournment from the court by getting an excuse duty from a hospital to the court that I was sick to allow him to be present in court before I proceed with my testimony but I declined this criminal, dishonest and unethical suggestion from him as an Attorney-General then.”
The petition stresses that if the allegations are accurate, Dame’s conduct undermines public trust in the Attorney General’s office and could threaten national peace.
Jakpa calls on the CID to carry out an urgent and thorough investigation, urging that Dame face full consequences if found guilty.
He said “I pray that the attempt by Godfred Dame for me to testify in a particular way so as to dishonestly, wickedly and without an iota of conscience implicate Hon. Dr. Ato Forson and to also lie to the court by procuring a false excuse duty which constitute a crime (Fabrication of evidence) be investigated and made to face the full consequence if found to be culpable because this is very necessary especially when such diabolical and vicious actions an Attorney-General can breach the peace of the country and erode the trust that the public has in the esteem office of the Attorney General of this country.”
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
