Suddenly, Mahama & NDC are singing the praises of the judiciary they bastardised for years – Nana B
National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), has criticized former President John Dramani Mahama for what he described as his double standards relating to matters of the judiciary.
Nana B says suddenly, John Mahama and the NDC are singing the praises of the judiciary they have bastardised and maligned for several years.
“Suddenly, the rule of law is at work because they have won. Suddenly, the court is no longer an appendage of government. Suddenly, the judges appointed by Akufo-Addo are not partisan.
“The double standards of the NDC is regrettable and does not bode well for our democracy. While the AG disagree with the decision of the Court, we accept it in good faith and hope Mr. Mahama and the NDC do not change their chorus should the decision of the Court of Appeal be reversed by the Supreme Court,” he wrote in a Facebook.
Mr Mahama had said he was pleasantly surprised by the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge the accused persons in the ambulance case.
He says the court ruling shows that there is still justice in Ghana.
“I think that it shows the vindication that he is innocent. We believe that this prosecution should never have taken place. Indeed, it [Court of Appeal’s decision] came as a surprise because I had quite forgotten about the appeal.
“This appeal was made some time ago when they filed a no-case petition before the court and the High Court rejected it so they went to appeal. So it came as quite a pleasant surprise. But it shows that we still have justice in this country, we can work to make the judiciary that we want it to be,” Mr Mahama said in an exclusive interview with TV3s Komla Klutse on Tuesday, July 30.
On Tuesday, July 30 the High Court did not hear the Ambulance case in the light of the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge the accused persons Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa.
The High Court was due to sit on Tuesday July 30 but on that same day, a Court of Appeal upheld an appeal on the Financial and Economic Court’s decision by Minority Leader and former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
The High Court in March 2023 ordered Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to open his defence after the Attorney General’s office established prima facie against the former deputy finance minister in the 2.37 million Euro ambulance case.
Two others, Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief of Director, Ministry of Health, and Richard Jakpa, a businessman, who were standing trial with Dr Forson were also directed to open defence.
Dr. Forson and the two have been variously charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of 2.37 million Euros in the purchase of ambulances, which could not be used for their intended performance.
Lawyers of Dr Ato Forson filed a submission of no case after the prosecution closed its case but in its ruling on March 30, 2023, presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare Botwe indicated that the accused persons should open their defence.
The Court of Appeal in its decision on July 30 indicated that the High Court’s decision should be set aside since “the prosecution failed to establish sufficient evidence. The trial judge erred in calling on A1(Dr Cassiel Ato Forson) to open his defence. No positively proven facts. Evidence based on Impermissible speculations. There is no link between the evidence heard and what happened for the third accused to be called to open defence.”
The panel of three justices also acquitted and discharged the accused persons in the case.
The court also noted in its decision that: “If there is any financial loss, that was based on the Health Ministry’s recklessness and be blamed on the Ministry of Health. If they worked in the interest of the state the whole ambulance would have been dealt with. Both appellants have made a case for them to be acquitted and discharged.”
