The High Court in Accra has decisively rejected a motion seeking to pause the trial and investigate the conduct of Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame in the ongoing €2.37 million financial loss case involving Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
During the session on Thursday, June 6, 2024, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe ruled against the application put forth by Dr. Ato Forson and a co-accused businessman. The defence team had argued for the trial to be halted and for an enquiry into alleged misconduct by the Attorney-General. They claimed that Dame’s involvement in the case could lead to bias and called for a mistrial.
However, Justice Asare-Botwe concluded that there was no statutory basis to support an investigation into the Attorney-General’s conduct within the scope of this criminal case. She emphasized that the court lacked the jurisdiction to halt proceedings based on the claims presented, especially since the prosecution had already rested its case and the defence was now required to respond.
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The judge noted that the defence failed to present any extraordinary circumstances that would necessitate a stay of proceedings or declare a mistrial. Thus, the court’s decision effectively allows the trial to move forward into the defence phase.
Dr. Ato Forson and his co-defendant face serious charges related to the procurement of ambulances, which allegedly caused a financial loss to the state of €2.37 million. The prosecution contends that improper management and failure to follow procurement protocols led to this loss. Following the completion of the prosecution’s case, the defence was set to begin its arguments when the motion for enquiry and stay was filed.
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