Court orders arrest of businessman Jakpa for causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state
When the Ambulancegate case was called last Thursday, Richard Jakpa, who has sacked his lawyer and had opened his defence, was supposed to continue his testimony. However, he was not in court
The high court in Accra has issued a warrant for the arrest of Richard Jakpa, the private businessman standing trial with a former deputy minister of finance Cassiel Ato Forson.
The two have been accused of causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for Ghana between 2014 and 2016.
Absent
When the case was called last Thursday, Jakpa, who has sacked his lawyer and had opened his defence, was supposed to continue his testimony. He was, however, not in court.
Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Court of Appeal judge sitting with additional responsibility as a high court judge, said she had received a document purporting to be an excuse duty sent to the clerk of the court on WhatsApp.
Issuing the bench warrant, she said that even though the document claimed to be a medical certificate it did not display his condition.
“Unfortunately Jakpa dispensed with his lawyer and is yet to get a new one. We will err on the side of caution and issue a warrant for the arrest of the accused,” the judge said.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday 26 March this year.
Charges
The two accused persons have pleaded not guilty to counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to wilfully causing financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and intentionally misapplying public property.
According to the facts set out by the Attorney General in the accompanying charge sheet, in 2009, while delivering the State of the Nation Address, the then president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, indicated that new ambulances would be purchased to expand the operations of the National Ambulance Service.
Jakpa, who is a local representative of Big Sea General Trading Ltd, a company based in Dubai, subsequently approached the Ministry of Health with a proposal that he had arranged for finance from Stanbic Bank for the supply of 200 ambulances to the government.
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