A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, and the two others who have been dragged to court for allegedly causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase some 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016 have made their first appearance to the Accra High Court.
Dr Forson, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, and the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, is in court with Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and Richard Jakpa, a businessman.
In court this morning, the second accused person, Slyvester Anemana’s Lawyer informed the court that his client is sick and at the hospital which he provided a doctor’s report to confirm it to the court.
The trial judge was not happy as it is a criminal case and hence need to physically see all the accused persons.
This forced the Judge to ajourn the case to Tuesday, January 18, 2022.
The three accused persons have been dragged to court for allegedly causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase some 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.
The trio were dragged to the Accra High Court Thursday (December 23, 2021) by the Attorney-General, on five counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to wilfully cause financial loss to the state, contravention of the public procurement act and intentionally misapplying public property.
Charges and Facts available to Angel News Court correspondent Ama Brako Ampofo indicate that per the A-G’s facts accompanying the charge sheet, in 2009, during the state of the nation’s address, the then President John Evans Atta Mills, indicated that new ambulances would be purchased to expand the services of the National Ambulance Service to many parts of the country.
It comes following the State of the Nation’s address, Jakpa, who is a local representative of Big Sea General Trading Limited, a company based in Dubai, approached the Ministry of Health with a proposal that he had arranged for finance from Stanbic Bank for the supply of 200 ambulances to the government.
Their charges have not been read to them and their plea has not been taken as well as the trial judge asked lawyer for Slyvester Anemana Owiredu Dankwa told the court his client is not well and at the hospital.
The trial judge said as this is a criminal trial all the a caused person’s must be present and their plea taken, therefore urged them to be serious and present at all times.
Some NDC members of Parliament that stormed court today are Gizella Tettey Agbotui,Felixstowe Kwakye Ofosu, Muntaka Mubarack, Emmanuel Kofi Armah Buah, Mauritian Brew Appiah Oppong, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, James Agalga, Kwaku Rickets Hagan and others.
