In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged Honorable Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam Constituency in the ongoing high-profile ambulance trial.
The court’s ruling sets aside the previous order from the trial court that required Dr. Ato Forson to open his defense, effectively upholding his submission of no case.
Dr. Ato Forson had earlier argued that there was no case for him to answer, but this submission was initially rejected by the trial judge.
Businessman Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the Ambulance trial was also freed by the Appeal Court.
NDC Leaders Celebrate Victory Over Alleged Judicial Weaponization
Reacting to the court’s decision, Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed vehement satisfaction with the ruling.
Lawyer Gyamfi’s statement was a scathing indictment of the Attorney General and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration’s perceived persecution of the Minority Leader.
“Hon. Ato Forson’s submission of no case has been upheld. The Minority Leader was innocent all along. Shame on crooked Godfred Dame, the NPP, and their cheap media surrogates. Enemies are not God. The day of accountability for the real criminals is soon coming. December 7 is not far”.
Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
The National Communications Officer of the opposition party’s remarks reflect the deep-seated animosity and distrust between the NDC and the NPP, particularly concerning the perceived manipulation of judicial processes for political gain.
The General Secretary of the opposition party, Honorable Fifi Fiavi Kwetey also weighed in on the verdict, framing it as a triumph of justice over political persecution.
“Today, the Court of Appeal has acquitted and discharged Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, exposing yet another shameless attempt by Attorney General Godfred Dame and the NPP government to weaponize the judiciary against dissent”.
General Secretary of the opposition party, Honorable Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
Mr Kwetey further chastised the New Patriotic Party government for its alleged undemocratic practices and erosion of democratic principles over the past seven years.
He pointed out that the verdict by the Appeal Court marks a significant victory for justice and delivers a damning indictment of the “undemocratic NPP government”, which he argued has eroded the country’s democratic gains in all aspects.
“Their disgraceful strategy to imprison opposition voices under false charges has been laid bare. We must not tolerate such a brazen abuse of power”, Mr Kwetey continued.
The National Democratic Congress chief scribe, in his impassioned statement, underscored the opposition party’s commitment to protecting democratic norms and holding the current administration accountable for actions perceived as oppressive and unjust.
He contended that the acquittal of Honorable Dr Cassiel Ato Forson would have significant political ramifications as Ghana approaches the December 7, 2024, general elections.
Mr Kwetey emphasized that the ruling is a vindication of the party’s stance against what it describes as the NPP’s authoritarian tendencies.
Mr Kwetey concluded his statement with a call for vigilance and a promise of better governance under former President John Dramani Mahama, who is seeking to reclaim the presidency.
“Never again should Ghana suffer such undemocratic actions, where the government’s fear of scrutiny trumps the principles of justice and freedom. Under H.E John Mahama, Ghana will see a just administration where the rule of law prevails, not the whims of a vindictive government.”
General Secretary of the opposition party, Honorable Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
Dr. Forson, a former Deputy Minister of Finance under the erstwhile Mahama’s administration was embroiled in a legal battle over allegations of causing financial loss to the state related to the procurement of ambulances during his tenure as Deputy Finance Minister.
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