The Accra High Court has ordered Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson to file his witness testimonies in the current case in which he is accused of creating financial loss to the state over the procurement of some ambulances by May 4, 2023.
This follows Ato Forson’s request for permission to file nine witness testimonies as part of his defence.
The Minority Leader and the other defendants were supposed to have filed their witness statements earlier in order to allow for a case management conference before the start of their defences.
However, Ato Forson’s lawyers claimed in court on Tuesday that their client could not meet with several of the witnesses outside the country.
Despite the fact that the presiding judge, Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, couldn’t understand why the accused person didn’t use technology to get the witnesses to type, sign, scan, and email the witness testimonies to him, she allowed the leave application.
Seth Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, and Richard Jakpa, a businessman, have also indicated that they will call 6 and 5 witnesses as part of their defence.
Despite the fact that the presiding judge, Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, could not comprehend why the accused person didn’t use technology to get the witnesses to type, sign, scan, and email the witness testimonies to him, she allowed the leave application.
Seth Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, and Richard Jakpa, a businessman, have also indicated that they will call 6 and 5 witnesses, respectively, as part of their defence.
The court also allowed Ato Forson’s disclosure motion for a payment warrant, which he claims outlines the individual who authorised the payments.
The argument against Ato Forson is that he signed the letters of credit that served as the foundation for the payment that resulted in the state incurring a financial loss.
The state was ordered by the court to make the disclosures by Friday, April 21 of this year.
A case management conference has been scheduled for May 9, 2023.
However, the judge has filed notice that the action will be completed by August 31 of this year, allowing her to focus on her duty as a Court of Appeal judge.
