The office of the Attorney General (AG) has cautioned political commentators and persons opposing the criminal action against Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Cassiel Ato Forson.

In a statement sighted by myjoyonline, the Attorney-General entreated such persons to refrain from passing undue comments on the matter and allow justice to take its course.

“The Attorney-General hereby entreats the general public, particularly political commentators and persons styling themselves as civil society, to permit the streams of justice to flow unhindered by refraining from undue public commentary on the criminal action instituted against the Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and two other citizens of Ghana,” a statement from the office of the Attorney General said.

The statement was in response to claims by the accused person (Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson) that the charges against him are trumped up and frivolous.

The AG described the claims by Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson as “burdened with factual misrepresentations and calculated at scandalising the criminal proceedings pending in the High Court.”

“The said press statement was laden with factual misrepresentations and calculated at scandalising the criminal proceedings pending in the High Court, Accra against the Member of Parliament and exposing the Attorney-General to prejudice and hatred,” the statement from the AG’s office added.

The statement noted that the office of the AG will “zealously prosecute crimes bordering on abuse of public funds which have been fully investigated and are considered to be worthy of prosecution.”

Background

The Attorney-General’s office has filed criminal charges including causing financial loss to the state against former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and two others.

The two are; Sylvester Anemana who was a Chief Director at the Ministry of Health when the alleged crimes are said to have been committed and a businessman, Richard Jakpa.

The case relates to the procurement of 200 ambulances by the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills and John Mahama-led government. Documents filed by the AG’s office trace the events culminating into the alleged crimes to an announcement made in the 2009 State of the Nation Address regarding plans to procure ambulances for the country.

The AG said following this address, the Ministry of Health (MOH) initiated action to acquire more ambulances. The 3rd accused person, Richard Jakpa is said to have used his company, Jakpa at Business, to present a proposal and Term Loan to the Ministry of Health which he claimed to have arranged from Stanbic Bank to finance the supply of the 200 ambulances to the government.

Cabinet, according to the AG, gave an Executive Approval for the project.

However, it emerged later that the ambulances had some defects which rendered them not fit for purpose.