By Joyce Danso
Accra, April 18, GNA – An Accra High Court has directed Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority leader in Parliament to file his witness statements by May 4, 2023.
The State is also expected to file their disclosures by April 21.
Ato Forson is standing trial with others in respect of the purchase of state ambulances. They are alleged to have caused financial loss in respect of the purchase of ambulances.
This was after the Minority leader, through his counsel, had prayed to the Court to grant them leave to file nine witness statements as he opens his defence in the matter.
The lawyer for the Minority Leader said their disclosures would include warrants of payment which gave details of the persons who authorised payments.
The filing of the witness is expected to pave the way for the case management conference.
However, when the case was called, lawyers for Ato Forson said they were unable to have conference with some of the witnesses who were outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Two other accused persons, former Chief Director of Ministry of Health, Seth Anemana and Richard Jakpa, a businessman, are expected to call six and five witnesses respectively.
Justice Afua Serwa Asare-Botwe raised questions on why Ato Forson’s witnesses could not type their statements and scan it to him so they could be filed.
The trial judge indicated that by August 31, 2023, the trial would be completed.
The accused persons are standing trial for allegedly willfully causing financial loss of 2.37 million Euros to the state, through a contract to purchase of 200 ambulances for the Ministry of health among other charges.
They have denied the charges and are on bail.
GNA