The current Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame has lost his legal compass. This comes after his recent escapades including but not limited to evidence tampering, alleged planned perjury amongst other unknown but possible infractions.

His shambolic pursuit of the ‘Ambulance Procurement Trial’ is embarrassing. A total waste of state resources; time and money. A number of legal practitioners and academics have called for his resignation or sacking by the president. Notable amongst them include Kwaku Ansa-Asare, Esq., former Director of Legal Education, Prof. Kwaku Asare, Center for Democratic Development (CDD) fellow and Martin Kpebu, Esq., legal practitioner and commentator.

The much publicised ‘Ambulance Procurement Trial’ moved from the focal point of charging the accused persons for wilfully causing financial loss to the state to digging into the past of the third accused person, Mr. Richard Jakpa.

This development arose after it came to light that Mr. Dame had clandestinely met with Mr. Jakpa at the residence of a sitting Supreme Court Judge, Justice Yonny Kulendi. This said meeting led to the release of an audio recording which Mr. Dame was heard interacting and seemingly negotiating with Mr. Jakpa to aid him implicate Mr. Ato Forson.

Prior to the hearing on 29^th July, 2024, the released letter presented and tendered in evidence by the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame had cited ‘misconduct’ as a reason why the third accused was released from the armed forces. This comes weeks after a widely circulated letter asserted that the third accused, Mr. Jakpa, was dismissed from the GAF based on persistent offenses and acts of misconduct. It was revealed at an Accra High Court in the recent hearing when the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen.

Thomas Oppong-Peprah took the witness stand to testify following a subpoena by Mr. Jakpa who is not a walkover. During the cross-examination of the CDS, his lawyer asked the military whether misconduct was a basis, to which he responded that it was not.

The background of the case entails Mr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Mr. Richard Jakpa, first and third accused persons respectively accused of causing a financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016. They have pleaded not guilty to counts of wilfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to wilfully causing financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and intentionally misapplying public property. Mr. Dame is generally a good lawyer; however, he lost his legal compass whilst executing the task of his paymasters.