Court defers charges against Ato Forson, others to Tuesday

The High Court in Accra has deferred the hearing of the case in which the former Deputy Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and two others are facing charges including  “willfully causing financial loss” to the state to Tuesday.

The two others are Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and Richard Jakpa, local representative of Big Sea General Trading Limited

The accused persons were expected to respond to five charges on Monday, January 17, 2022 but Mr Anemana, the second accused person per a letter to the court said he is on a medical appointment today.

Anemana’s lawyer, Mr Alex Owureidu Dankwa, informed the Accra High Court that his client had a condition and therefore goes for medical care on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

To this end, the presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, adjourned the case to tomorrow (Tuesday, January 18) to ensure that all the accused persons were present.

Ato Forson, the first accused person and Jakpa, the third accused person were present in court.

High profile personalities from the NDC and MPs thronged to the court to support him. They included former Attorney-General, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muhammed Mubarak Muntaka, the MP for Cape South Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan, and MP for Ellembele Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah.

On December 23, last year, the state through the Director of Public Prosecution Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa filed the charges against the three persons.

The three have been charged with a total of five counts namely ‘wilfully causing financial loss to the Republic contrary to section 179A (3) (a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29, Abetment of crime namely, ‘Wilfully causing financial loss to the Republic contrary to section 20(1) and 179 A(3)(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29),’ ‘Contravention of the Public Procumbent Act, 2003, contrary to section 92 (2) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663),’ and ‘Intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1 (2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140)’.

Their plea would be taken tomorrow.

-By Murtala Inusah|Starrfm|Ghana