Nana Ohene Ntow, a senior advisor to Independent Presidential Candidate Alan Kyerematen, has said that Attorney-General Godfred Dame’s continuous prosecution of the ambulance purchase trial could influence the trial process.
However, Mr Ntow added that he hoped that wouldn’t happen.
Mr Ntow’s comments follow the High Court’s ruling on Thursday dismissing all four applications filed by the first and third accused persons, Dr Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa, respectively, seeking, amongst other reliefs, a stay of the proceedings and cause for a mistrial hearing to be instituted based on the alleged misconduct of the A-G.
In addition to her ruling, the trial judge, Justice Efia Serwah Asare-Botwey, advised that Mr Godfred Dame recuse himself from the ongoing case in the interest of justice and the public.
However, the Attorney-General speaking to journalists after the court’s ruling indicated that he was “conducting the case”, ignoring the “strong advice” given by the trial judge.
The former General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Ntow therefore, bemoaned the over-politicisation of national issues, especially when they concern the judicial processes in the country.
Nana Ohene Ntow made the observations when he appeared on The Key Points on Saturday, June 8.
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“The sense now that a lot of people listening to the proceedings, listening to the case and especially when this tape came out are feeling is that there is a certain attempt to make this a political case, NPP, NDC again. This NPP, NDC dichotomy appears to be undermining even the judicial processes and this is just not good,” he stated.
According to him, the failure of stakeholders, including the Attorney-General’s office, to address such issues to restore public confidence in the country’s judicial processes could further undermine the integrity of the entire governance system.
“I think such matters ought to be handled in such a way that would engender public confidence,” Mr Ntow said.
Also, the Special Advisor to Alan Kyerematen expressed satisfaction with the court for admitting the leaked audio recording between the Attoreny-General and the third accused, Richard Jakpa.
“I think it is a good thing that the court has admitted the material into evidence because if it was not admitted at all it will be in the public domain, we will be listening to it, we will make our own opinions and judgements about it,” he noted.
Dame could have considered judge’s advice
Furthermore, Nana Ohene Ntow underscored that the A-G, as the leader of the Bar and state chief prosecutor, ought to have considered the advice of the judge, Justice Efia Serwah Asare-Botwey, and recused himself from the case.
“A judge gives what she calls strong advice… I am sure as the lawyers have explained, her advice is not law, it is not mandatory, it is not an order, it is advice but for a judge to say that I will strongly advise, I would have thought that even though the Attorney-General had the right to take or not to take and that’s advice if a judge would add such an adjective, then probably the Attorney-General could have considered it.”
Asked whether or not the A-G’s continuous stay in prosecuting the case could influence public perception of the trial process, Mr Ntow emphasised that “the public who listens to these things also has the right to sit at home, create their own little courts and pass their own judgements.”
“By and large, a lot of people are going to feel that the conduct of the Attorney-General could influence the process,” he told Alfred Ocansey, host of The Key Points on TV3.
The post Ambulance purchase trial: Dame’s continuous stay could influence the process – Ohene Ntow first appeared on 3News.
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