Ambulance case: AG’s decision to appeal ruling good for law – Bobby Banson
Private legal practitioner, Bobby Banson, says the Attorney General’s decision to appeal the acquittal of the defendants in the ambulance procurement trial will be beneficial for the law.
Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has declared his intention to contest the court’s verdict in the ambulance trial, which involves Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
This decision was made following the acquittal and discharge of the Minority Leader and the third accused, Richard Jakpa, in the ambulance case by the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, July 30.
The Court of Appeal, in a 2:1 decision, reversed the trial Court’s instruction for the defendants to present their defence in the ongoing ambulance trial and supported their no-case appeal.
The defendants had been accused of causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in an ambulance procurement deal for the Government of Ghana.
In the 2:1 decision, Justice Alex Poku Acheampong, who presided, disagreed, while Justice Kweku Tawiah ACKAH-Boafo and Justice Philip Bright Mensah accepted the defendants’ pleas.
Mr Dame stated that the court’s decision was harmful to the fight against impunity and the rule of law, and he intends to appeal it.
Banson, speaking to Bernard Avle on the Point of View on Channel One TV, said, “For the sake of the law I would wish that AG appeal…They say there are some exceptions. It is only the Supreme Court that can tell us whether these exceptions are here or not, but I must be quick to add that even though the court of appeal ultimately upheld the appeal filed, it is not every submission that was made by the accused persons or the appellants that was upheld by Justice Ackah-Boafo.”
He added, “So for instance Justice Ackah-Boafo struck out almost all the grounds of appeal that was filed but ultimately rested the decision on the grounds of whether or not the submissions were supported by the evidence that was adduced…So it will be interesting to see if the AG indeed files the notice of appeal how it will go.”
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