Ambulance Case: Co-Defendant can negotiate with AG to be used as Witness – Former Chief Justice

Justice Sophia Akuffo, a former Chief Justice has said it is lawful to Plea bargaining with a co-defendant in a criminal matter to be used as a Prosecution Witness in exchange of a lesser punishment.

She said, plea bargaining (law negotiations) is not wrong in the prosecution of criminal cases and therefore negotiations are permitted within the scope of reference.

According to Madam Sophia, the prosecution can seek to plea bargain witin every criminal case unless there’s a law setting boundaries as to what cannot be plea bargained.

Justice Sophia Akuffo’s comments come in the wake of Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame coming under intense scrutiny following allegations by businessman Richard Jakpa that the AG has been engaging him at odd hours to implicate Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing trial involving the purchase of ambulances said to be defective.

In an exclusive interview with Kasapa News’ Akokoraba Nyarko, she noted that even in murder cases, it can be applied in some jurisdictions.

“The prosecution can seek to plea bargain in every criminal case unless there is a law setting boundaries as to what cannot be plea bargained,” the retired Chief Justice stated.

“Sometimes in countries where they have been practicing plea bargain for a very long time, even in murder cases, they can plea bargain it downwards to something else,” Justice Sophia Akuffo said.

While pointing out that, she is not in the known of the scope of the Plea Bargaining in the ongoing ambulance case, she said it is not novel for a co-defendant to be plea bargain and used as a Prosecution Witness.

“I don’t know the scope and content of whatever discussions has been going on.

“But sometimes there is, you plea bargain a co-defendant and make that co-defendant your prosecution witness in exchange for which you then plead guilty to a lesser charge,” she explained

According to her “It’s not novel, maybe it may seem novel.”
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Ambulance Case: Co-Defendant can negotiate with AG to be used as Witness- – Former Chief Justice

Justice Sophia Akuffo, a former Chief Justice has said it is lawful to Plea Bargained with a co-defendant in a criminal matter to be used as a Prosecution Witness in exchange of a lesser punishment.

She said, Plea bargaining (law negotiations) are not wrong in prosecution of criminal cases and therefore negotiations are permitted within the scope of reference.

According to Madam Sophia, the prosecution can seek to plea bargain witin every criminal case unless there’s a law setting boundaries as to what cannot be plea bargained.

Justice Sophia Akuffo’s comments come in the wake of Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame coming under intense scrutiny following allegations by businessman Richard Jakpa that the AG has been engaging him at odd hours to implicate Dr Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing trial involving the purchase of ambulances said to be defective.

In an exclusive interview with Kasapa News’ Akokoraba Nyarko, she noted that even in murder cases, it can be applied in some jurisdictions.

“The prosecution can seek to plea bargain in every criminal case unless there is a law setting boundaries as to what cannot be plea bargained,” the retired Chief Justice stated.

“Sometimes in countries where they have been practicing plea bargain for a very long time, even in murder cases, they can plea bargain it downwards to something else,” Justice Sophia Akuffo said.

While pointing out that, she is not in the known of the scope of the Plea Bargaining in the ongoing ambulance case, she said it is not novel for a co-defendant to be plea bargain and used as a Prosecution Witness.

“I don’t know the scope and content of whatever discussions has been going on.

“But sometimes there is, you plea bargain a co-defendant and make that co-defendant your prosecution witness in exchange for which you then plead guilty to a lesser charge,” she explained

According to her “It’s not novel, maybe it may seem novel.”