The Accra High Court has dismissed an application by Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson for a mistrial and an inquiry into the conduct of the Attorney General in the ongoing ambulance case.
The trial judge stated that Ato Forson has not provided any statutory provisions that justify a mistrial or an inquiry into the Attorney General’s actions.
On June 3, Dr. Ato Forson filed a supplementary affidavit supporting a motion for a mistrial, injunction, and/or stay of proceedings in the case against him and two others. His lawyers referenced a leaked tape between Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame and the third accused, Richard Jakpa. In the tape, Dame allegedly attempts to coach Jakpa to implicate Dr. Ato Forson in the trial.
In the affidavit, Ato Forson’s legal team argued that the Attorney-General’s conduct warranted a mistrial. The affidavit stated, “It has become necessary to file this affidavit in order to bring to the attention of the Court and in the interest of justice, certain pertinent, material and relevant matters that have a bearing on the fair and just determination of the current application.”
The Minority Leader further contended that failing to order a mistrial, given the alleged misconduct by the Attorney-General, would severely undermine public confidence in the judicial process.
