By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, May 29, GNA – Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, the judge presiding over the trial of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and one other, has advised the parties involved to be circumspect in their media pronouncements.
She urged the parties in the case to tone down the comments and accusations out of court.
When the case was called on Tuesday, May 28, Dr. Forson’s lawyers notified the court that they had filed two motions but had not been heard.
The trial judge requested the former Attorney General, Marrietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, and the Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, to speak with the defendants because anyone who wanted to prejudice the court would be discourteous.
The Judge said the public opinions worried her, and that the rate at which the parties commented on the trial in the media was not acceptable.
She said that many people, including those who were well-educated, were unaware of how the court worked, and that by the end of the day, the public had no choice but to trust the Judge.
The trial judge criticised the National Communication Manager of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Sammy Gyamfi, and advised him to be mindful in his comments.
“Nobody should go out casting the slur on the judiciary and please stay in your arena and let the Judiciary also stay in their arena,” she added.
She urged Mr Gyamfi to be more responsible in his remarks and reminded him that no lawyer conducts themselves that way in front of the bench.
The judge issued the warning following an ongoing media debate after Mr Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the trial, made allegations against the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame Yeboah.
Mr Jakpa claimed that the Attorney-General had repeatedly contacted him at odd times to incriminate Dr Forson, a former deputy finance minister and president Minority Leader in Parliament
When the case was called, Jakpa was scheduled to resume his cross-examination, but this did not take place.
Dr. Forson was granted a self-recognition bail of GH¢3 million for allegedly causing a financial loss of 2,370,000 euros to the state.
He was additionally charged with “intentionally misapplying public property contrary to section 1(2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140).”
Mr Jakpa got bail of GHc5 million with three sureties, one of whom must provide proof of landed property.
GNA