A request from Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to be excused from Court on Tuesday, November 21 to partake in the 2024 Budget Review has been rejected by the High Court in Accra.
Dr Forson who is facing trial together with Dr Sylvester Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and private Businessman Richard Dzakpa over an alleged willful causing financial loss to the state in the sum of €2.37 million ambulance transaction had closed his defence on Thursday, November 16.
Dr. Anemana, a former Chief Director of the Ministry Health following the closure of Dr Forson’s case, opened his defence and is facing cross-examination.
Just when Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge had adjourned the case to Tuesday, November 21, Dr Forson through his lawyer, Godwin Edudzie Tamekloe who was holding brief for lead counsel Dr Abdul Aziz Bamba made a request for him to be excused.
“My Lady, just before your pen rise, I want to draw the Court’s attention to the presentation of the 2024 Budget” and that the first accused would be involved in post presentation activities on Tuesday.
He therefore prayed the court to excused his client from Tuesday, November 21, sitting.
But, the trial judge rejected the request and said, “no accused would be tried in his absence,” and the case will proceed as scheduled.
The Court said “We will try and finish this case by December 31, and we come back in February 2024 for judgement.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Murtala Inusah
