Ato Forson is a victim of political persecution

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said the trial of Majority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson is a gamble that the government is taking. Speaker Bagbin said the government is taking a risk with Ato Forson knowing fully well that the trial could end in a catastrophic defeat for the government.

Mr Bagbin was speaking during a visit to the family of the late former Majority Leader Felix Owusu-Adjapong. He said the prosecution was a gamble while also bemoaning that it is denying the Ajumako Enyan Esiam MP the chance to participate in parliamentary work.

Bagbin said, “On a number of occasions, he has been unable to join us in Parliament because he is appearing in court. As I speak to you, he is being tried.

“It is not that we don’t want the rule of law to apply, we all want it to apply. But where prosecution is just a gamble, I may win or I may not win but let me do it, I will not prescribe that for any politician. Because as a leader you always have to take the risk. You could get it right, you could get it catastrophically wrong.”

The Majority Leader and former Deputy Finance Minister is standing trial for causing financial loss to the state when he authorized the procurement of 50 faulty ambulances for the state. He has denied wrongdoing, arguing that he had the required authorization to request the letter of credit that led to the payment of €2.3 million for the ambulances.

Former Finance Minister Seth Terkper on Thursday, October 19, 2023, testified in support of his former deputy. Seth Terkper told the court that he authorized Ato Forson to request the letter of credit from the Bank of Ghana.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I state again that, I as the then Minister of Finance, authorized A1 (Dr. Ato Forson) to request the Bank of Ghana to set up the LC (Letters of Credit) with the sole objective e of avoiding potential financial liability for the Government,” Mr Terkper told the court.