Businessman Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing ambulance procurement trial, has dismissed claims that he received 50 percent of the €2.3 million paid under the ambulance contract.
According to him, he received no such amount, adding that the claim by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, is false.
He made this statement when he was cross-examined in court on Tuesday, July 2.
The Attorney-General had alleged that between Big Sea Company Ltd and Mr Jakpa, he [Mr Jakpa] received about 50 percent of the total sum paid under the ambulance contract by the government.
This, he claimed, was the reason Mr Jakpa did not deliver genuine ambulances to the country.
In response, Mr Jakpa said the allegation is untrue, adding that Big Sea incurred a significant loss on the contract.
“My Lord, what the prosecution is alleging is completely false,” he stated.
He clarified that the contract went through various stages of approval and negotiations with the government over several years, noting that the first proposal was submitted in 2010.
“This contract, exhibit V, was drafted by the government, and the valuation for the cost of the ambulances was done by the government.
“After the Ministry had satisfied itself that they were getting value for money, they proceeded to the Cabinet. The Cabinet did its due diligence and was also satisfied.
After the Cabinet, the specifications proceeded to Parliament. The Health Committee of Parliament sat on this ambulance project, thoroughly examined the technical specifications, and compared them to the cost that the Cabinet had approved,” the third accused said.
He argued that the Health Committee in Parliament also approved the contract and forwarded it to the plenary of Parliament.
“At the plenary, both NPP, his own government, and the NDC voted for it according to their own consciences after thoroughly perusing the technical specifications.”
Mr Jakpa added that the cost and specifications had gone through all the processes of statutory approval, even reaching the PPA, which has the responsibility to compare the cost against the specifications and grant approval.
Credit: Prince Adu-Owusu