Head of Chambers of Clinton Consultancy, Amanda Akuokor Clinton has called for a public inquiry into allegations of coercion made against Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame by the 3rd accused in the ongoing Ambulance Trial of Richard Jakpa.
Mr. Jakpa in open court accused the A-G of attempting to influence him to manipulate his testimony against the first accused and minority leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The opposition NDC has subsequently released an audio recording of the Mr. Dame in a conversation with the third accused on phone. The development has heightened calls for the A-G to resign or be sacked. The A-G’s office has however explained the engagements with Mr. Jakpa were in relation to his plea bargain request.
The governing NPP has however described the tape as doctored dismissing calls for Dame’s removal.
However speaking to the media in Accra Miss Clinton argued it would be in the best interest of the trial if the leaked audio is played at a public inquiry.
According to her, subjecting the leaked audio to a public inquiry will determine who initiated the act of coercion, for the case to proceed.
“It will help both sides that it’s (audio) played at a public inquiry to find out who initiated the coercion.
“On one hand, the Attorney-general is saying that he was ambushed by the 3rd defendant in the house of the Supreme Court Judge for a plea bargain and he didn’t think was appropriate, and then we heard the subsequent audios”
“So who initiated it is important, because in subsequent audios the 3rd defendant is saying at odd hours he was asked to incriminate the leader of the minority” Amanda emphasized
The legal practitioner also reiterated the importance of the leaked audio and its importance in helping the judge pass a fair verdict, suggesting that the political parties get an independent verifier to check the authenticity of the tape following the doctoring claim by the NPP.
“The recordings go to the heart of whether this is appropriate or not, so if, for instance, members of the NPP are saying that the audio is not legitimate, it’s quite easy to determine.”
“There are multiple foreign and local forensic analysts who can look at this audio and put their signature to the document and verify if it’s credible or not. But it would have to be very independent verifiers and the NDC can also verify” the lawyer added.
Amanda Clinton advised that the case be dealt with in a cleaner way to protect the integrity of the bar and to ensure that there is justice.
She related to the 2024 practice direction on plea deals which according to her should have informed how the parties involved conducted themselves.
“We don’t want to put the case in jeopardy and the legitimacy of the case so it is best for the attorney general to step down for another prosecutor for the assessment of whether he was morally justified to be decided by a public inquiry”
Miss Clinton asserted such an inquiry would help protect the sanctity of the justice system.
“I think that in the interest of justice and for the protection of the integrity of the bar and the integrity of the Attorney General’s department, this has to be dealt with in a sanitized way at a public inquiry and not the court of public opinion and to score political points.”
