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In the ongoing legal case involving Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, and two others accused of causing financial loss to the state in a faulty ambulance procurement deal worth 2.3 million Euros, a significant development has emerged. The Attorney General’s department has confirmed that lawyers representing Dr. Ato Forson have initiated plea bargain negotiations, as verified by Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah. This disclosure comes in response to a challenge issued by Dr. Forson’s legal team, requesting evidence of their client’s involvement in plea bargain talks.
The challenge arose in light of media reports suggesting that the Minority Leader had approached the Attorney General’s department with the intention of securing a plea bargain deal. Dr. Ato Forson, a former deputy finance minister at the time of the ambulance purchase, stands accused of authorizing letters of credit for the acquisition of 50 defective ambulances without proper authorization. He has vehemently denied these allegations.
As the state has completed presenting its case, the court has directed Dr. Ato Forson, the primary accused, to begin presenting his defense. He has already called two witnesses and plans to summon four more, including his former boss Seth Terkper and former Health Minister Alex Segbefia.
However, a new twist in the case has emerged. The state has received letters from Dr. Ato Forson’s legal team endorsing a plea bargain request brought to their attention by a third party. Deputy Attorney General Alfred Tuah-Yeboah explained that the Attorney General’s department initially received two separate letters from an external party offering to reimburse the cost of the ambulances in exchange for the case’s withdrawal.
Last year, a non-party to the prosecution offered to refund the money and take back the faulty ambulances. Nevertheless, the Attorney General’s office was reluctant to engage with individuals not directly implicated in the case. Consequently, the accused persons were asked to provide their stance on this proposal.
A subsequent letter from lawyers representing some of the accused persons endorsed the third party’s offer. According to Deputy Attorney General Tuah-Yeboah, these lawyers conveyed their clients’ support for the proposal.
Crucially, Dr. Ato Forson’s legal team also submitted a letter indicating their alignment with the third party’s plea bargain initiative. However, the Attorney General’s department has not yet made a decision regarding this request, leaving the legal proceedings in a state of anticipation.
