Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, a private legal practitioner, has stated that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) counter-press conference to defend the alleged conduct of the Attorney-General is more embarrassing and shameful than the allegations made against Mr Dame.
According to Dr. Srem-Sai, the NPP’s press conference did not address any of the issues raised by the NDC, as well as the audio recording.
Furthermore, he noted that the NPP, in their press conference, did not deny the fact that the voice on the tape was not the Attorney-General, indicating that that was a fundamental concern to Ghanaians.
The NPP in their counter-press conference on Tuesday, mounted a spirited defence for Mr Dame, emphasising that the A-G will not resign
The party’s Chairman of Legal and Constitutional Committee, Frank Davies, addressing the press, described the audio played by the NDC as being “doctored” and “a ploy to get the A-G to discontinue the prosecution of the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.”
Furthermore, he indicated that the calls for the resignation of the Attorney-General is “misplaced, unwarranted and this would not put any spokes in the prosecution of Cassiel Ato Forson and his associates.”
“Also, coming from the NDC the call for the Attorney General to resign is very very rich. The AG would not resign and would continue to remain witty, resolute and focused in the delivery of his work,” Frank Davies emphasised.
But Dr Srem-Sai, speaking to TV3 on Wednesday, criticised the Attorney-General for engaging an accused person directly without his legal representation.
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“That press conference to be honest with you is more embarrassing and more shameful than even the allegations it seeks to address…what have they said in that press conference to speak to any of the issues?
“If you hold a press conference and you are reiterating your allegations against the accused person…you’re prosecuting and you believe you have evidence against the person, what business do you have calling the person on phone.
“For me that press conference let’s not waste time a lot of time on it…that does not speak to any of the issues we are concerned about.”
Moreover, responding to the NPP’s claims that the audio is doctored, he said, “When a tape is doctored, what we are basically saying is that it has been edited in a way.”
NPP’s press conference defending A-G was more embarrassing and shameful than the issue it was seeking to address – Dr. Srem-Sai pic.twitter.com/mJOwZxYC75
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) May 30, 2024
“So at least forget about what the content of the tape is but they’re not denying the fact that the voice on the tape was that of the Attorney-General. What was the Attorney-General doing with an accused person…the rule for all lawyers is that if you’re prosecuting a case do not engage the accused person without the lawyer,” Dr. Srem-Sai said.
Accusations
The third accused in the ambulance purchase trial, Richard Jakpa has accused the Attorney-General of approaching him to help him implicate Minority Leader and former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
The businessman who was under cross-examination by counsel for the Minority Leader, had earlier been warned by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe to be direct in his responses rather than going around it and wasting the Court’s time.
Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame reacting to the judge’s caution accused Richard Jakpa of defending the Minority Leader.
This triggered the third accused who retorted that the Attorney-General appeared pained because he had engaged him to help the state make a case against Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
“The A-G has on several occasions engaged me at odd hours to help him make a case against A1 and I have evidence for that.. If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 when I’m here to defend myself,” Jakpa fumed in court.
