Richard Jakpa, the third defendant in the ambulance purchase trial has disclosed why he recorded Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General.
Despite knowing it is illegal to record a private conversation, Mr. Jakpa says it becomes material to do so when the direction of the conversation is tilting to the commission of crime.
According to him, those criticising him for recording a private conversation should know that the tangent of the discussion rendered it a crime against the State and his only option was to record Mr. Dame without his consent.
“He is prosecuting innocent people so who is disingenuous? Private conversations, when it is a conversation that leads to committing a crime it can no longer be private, it becomes a crime against the state. So, it can no longer be private. So, that private claim is neither here nor there,” Jakpa told journalists in court Tuesday, June 04, 2024 after court hearing.
He also called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to provide the original tape if they think the one aired by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is doctored like they claim.
“They are saying it is a doctored tape, I didn’t say that so they should bring the original; . They should tender the original to the court,” he stated.
Richard Jakpa, during court proceedings on Thursday, May 23, 2024 accused the Attorney General of trying to influence him to falsify his account against the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the first accused in the matter.
“If he pushes me, I will open the Pandora’s box. I don’t understand why the A-G will accuse me of defending A1 [Ato Forson] when I’m here to defend myself,” Mr Jakpa said in court.
However, a statement signed by Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, dismissed the claims.
The office said Mr Jakpa is rather the one who “by various letters” on multiple occasions “proposed to the Republic through the Attorney-General to engage in plea bargaining or plea negotiations. This plea bargaining proposal has, to date, not been accepted by the Attorney-General.”
Meanwhile, the NDC released what it claims to be an audio recording of a conversation between the A-G and Mr. Jakpa.
At a press conference Tuesday, May 28, the NDC played a tape purportedly containing the voices of the two individuals, Mr. Dame and Mr. Jakpa.
The party said the 16-minute long audio, which the NPP at a press conference same day stated was doctored, is the first of many such pieces of evidence they would be releasing subsequently.
They also publicised supposed screenshots of WhatsApp chats between the third accused and the A-G.
CONTENT BY: Felix Anim-Appau
