Court of Appeal Ruling: Come and let’s pop champagne – Allotey Jacobs tells Ato Forson

The former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Allotey Jacobs, expressed his excitement following the verdict by the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa.

Appearing as a panellist on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show, Allotey Jacobs stated that the ruling was worthy of celebration. He then invited the Minority Leader, Ato Forson, for a celebratory moment to mark the victorious occasion.

“Ato Baah Forson, bring your wine, let us celebrate and make merry… I’m very happy,” he said.

On Tuesday, July 30, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa of charges accusing them of causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the State.

Dr. Forson had been on trial for the past two years on various counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state and misapplying public property in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the State from 2014 to 2016 during his tenure as a Deputy Minister of Finance.

The court upheld the appeal filed by Ato Forson and Jakpa challenging the High Court’s decision to dismiss their submission of no case.

In a 2-1 majority decision, the Court of Appeal held that the evidence provided by the prosecution during the trial was not sufficient to establish a prima facie case to warrant the accused persons to answer to the charges leveled against them.