Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has strongly dismissed allegations levelled against him by businessman Richard Jakpa, describing them as “baseless, malicious, and a desperate ploy to obstruct justice.”
In a detailed 50-point statement submitted to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Monday, October 6, 2025, Mr. Dame said the accusations, which stem from the controversial ambulance procurement trial involving former Majority Leader and current Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, were without merit and motivated by personal resentment.
Mr. Jakpa, who is now Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, is the third accused person in the case, titled Republic v. 1. Cassiel Ato Forson, 2. Dr. Sylvester Anemena, 3. Richard Jakpa.
He has accused the former Attorney-General of fabricating evidence to secure a conviction.
But Mr. Dame insists no such fabrication ever occurred. “I did not fabricate any evidence led in that criminal trial,” he said.
“I have not been shown any piece of evidence adduced in the matter, either by the prosecution or the defence, which is alleged to be fabricated by me.”
He emphasised that he “never attempted to influence the testimony of Richard Jakpa,” adding that the businessman’s claims “are nothing but sour grapes born out of frustration over my refusal to yield to his representations to discontinue his prosecution.”
Denying fabrication and clarifying the la
The former Attorney-General explained that fabrication of evidence under Ghanaian law involves creating false circumstances, making false entries, or forging documents with the intent to mislead a judicial officer.
“No act of mine borders on the doing of anything that will constitute fabrication of evidence,” he said.
According to Mr. Dame, Mr. Jakpa’s complaint hinges on a “secret recording” of a telephone conversation allegedly held on March 26, 2024. But he insisted that the recording was being misrepresented.
“The telephone conversation actually took place on 9 April, 2024, and not 26th March, 2024, as he alleges,” he said.
“I am unable to respond to an allegation based on an alleged conversation on 26 March 2024 since no conversation took place between us on that day.”
The context of the call
Providing context, Mr. Dame explained that at the time of the phone conversation, the prosecution had long concluded its evidentiary processes.
“The prosecution had filed and tendered all documents as early as 14th February, 2022,” he said.
“By 30th March, 2023, the High Court had already ruled that a prima facie case had been established against the accused persons.”
He noted that by then, Dr. Ato Forson had closed his defence, the second accused’s case had been discontinued on health grounds, and only Mr. Jakpa remained on the stand, having dismissed his lawyer and chosen to represent himself.
Mr. Dame said his call to Mr. Jakpa was only to discuss an adjournment request, as he had to complete preparations for an international arbitration hearing in London.
“I will produce evidence of this as well,” he stated. “In the course of the discussion, he revived his disagreement over the meaning of the contract and the implications of using Letters of Credit as payment for the ambulances.”
No fabrication, just resentment
The former Attorney-General described Mr. Jakpa’s conduct as “disgruntled and resentful,” claiming the businessman was angered by his refusal to discontinue the case despite pressure. “This complaint by Richard Jakpa is just sour grapes,” he said.
He further alleged that the first accused person, Dr. Ato Forson, had personally visited his residence in 2023 to persuade him to halt the prosecution, a request he declined.
Encounters at Justice Kulendi’s residence
Mr. Dame confirmed that his only meetings with Mr. Jakpa occurred either in open court or at the home of Supreme Court Justice Yonny Kulendi.
He described Justice Kulendi as “a respected senior colleague” and said there would have been “no Dame–Jakpa” without him.
“It is inconceivable for a lawyer, more so the Attorney-General, to refuse invitations by a Justice of the Supreme Court to visit or to decline to give him audience when requested,” he said.
He stressed, however, that those interactions did not compromise his independence: “I maintained independence of thought on all issues discussed in Justice Kulendi’s house, including matters related to Richard Jakpa’s prosecution.”
High Court ruling vindicated the A-G
The former Attorney-General argued that the allegations had already been judicially settled.
Citing the High Court’s ruling of June 6, 2024, delivered by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, he noted that the court found no evidence that he sought to influence Jakpa’s testimony or jeopardise the accused persons’ right to a fair trial.
Quoting portions of the judgment, he said: “After listening to the conversation between A3 and A1, the issue of whether the Attorney-General actually told A3 to implicate A1 is not borne out by the evidence.”
The court further held that “there is no actual evidence that the Attorney-General as the prosecutor, has behaved in such an egregious manner that the 1st Accused/Applicant’s right to a fair trial is in jeopardy.”
Mr. Dame, therefore, maintained that the CID had no jurisdiction to reinvestigate a matter already determined by a competent court.
“The instant complaint seeks to relitigate issues already adjudicated upon by the High Court, Accra. The matters in issue have become res judicata,” he argued.
Timeline of contact
Outlining his limited contact with the businessman, Mr. Dame said he had never met Mr. Jakpa outside court proceedings and Justice Kulendi’s residence.
He recalled that their first interaction came on January 18, 2022, when Justice Kulendi visited his office to plead for Jakpa’s temporary release pending bail verification.
“Jakpa later obtained my number from Justice Kulendi and sent me 68 WhatsApp messages, to which I replied only twice—a fact he admitted in court,” Mr. Dame said.
He concluded by reiterating that the entire complaint was “a fabrication springing from the fertile imagination of Richard Jakpa,” adding that his only phone contact with him in April 2024 was procedural, concerning a court adjournment before his trip to London for an arbitration hearing—a case, he added, “Ghana eventually won.”
