In a significant development in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial, the Deputy Attorney General (AG), Alfred Tuah-Yeboah on Thursday, June 27, tendered into evidence Richard Jakpa’s supposed dismissal letter from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
The judge eventually admitted the document into evidence despite the opposition by the lawyers of the third accused.
The prosecution argued that Jakpa’s dismissal letter is pertinent to establishing his character and the circumstances surrounding his involvement in the ambulance procurement process.
The letter detailed reasons for Jakpa’s termination, which included allegations of misconduct and breach of military protocols.
In presenting the evidence, the Deputy AG emphasised the relevance of Jakpa's dismissal to the case, asserting that it highlights a pattern of behaviour that could be critical in understanding the broader context of the allegations.
The Deputy AG argued that Jakpa's dismissal for misconduct casts doubt on his reliability and trustworthiness, which are key elements in assessing the validity of his testimony and actions related to the ambulance procurement.
Defence attorneys, however, raised objections to the introduction of the dismissal letter, arguing that it was prejudicial and unrelated to the core issues of the trial.
They contended that Mr Jakpa's past employment records should not influence the court's assessment of the current charges and that the focus should remain on the evidence directly related to the ambulance case.
The defence requested the court to disregard the letter as inadmissible evidence, citing concerns of bias.
However, the judge admitted the letter into evidence after a brief break. She rejected the objections raised by the lawyers of Jakpa stating that her decision is based on section 60 on personal knowledge and 126 on official records.
Jakpa told the court that the attachment, titled ' Release from service for unsatisfactory conduct' was alien to him.
Credit: myjoyonline.com