Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI-Africa, has criticised the prosecution of Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing ambulance trial, calling it "useless" and incompetent due to its basis.
Dr. Ato Forson, a former Deputy Finance Minister, along with two others, is on trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state through the importation of 30 ambulances.
This forms part of a 2012 contract between the Ministry of Health and Dubai-based firm, Big Sea Limited, for the purchase of 200 ambulances.
The prosecution claims Dr Ato Forson issued letters of credit without authorization from his then-boss, Finance Minister Seth Terkper.
However, Mr. Terkper testified in court that he did indeed authorize Dr. Ato Forson to establish the letters of credit.
Despite this testimony, the case continues, with the third accused, Richard Jakpa, currently being cross-examined.
Mr Simons has taken to social media, posting on X on Saturday, May 25, to voice his opinion on the matter.
Mr Simons believes the case is an attempt to silence the Minority in Parliament.
He insists that letters of credit are not payments themselves but guarantees to honour or refuse payment based on whether certain conditions are met.
“I've racked my brains for aeons & still can't understand why this fact so obvious to every business person isn't clear to Ghana's Attorney General. The case against the Minority Leader in Ghana's Parliament for authorising an LC is INCOMPETENT. Not just bcos of this MP's point.”
“But more importantly because of what an LC is. An LC is not a simple instruction to pay. It is a guarantee to honour or REFUSE payment if CERTAIN CONDITIONS are met/NOT MET.
This is a purely political prosecution to muzzle the opposition in Parliament. Luckily, it isn't working,” he posted.
Mr Simons' comments highlight the broader political implications of the trial, suggesting it is being used as a tool to weaken opposition voices.
The ongoing trial has thus drawn significant attention and controversy.
As the cross-examination of Richard Jakpa proceeds, the debate over the legitimacy and motivations behind the charges against Dr Ato Forson and the other accused continues to intensify.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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I really sad they say this Guy also went to Presec. Is this the Presec I went between 1987-1992. It seems the crop of students from 1992 are a bunch of ***barred word***.
Dumb Simmons.... you think you are smarter than everyone eh... You're cheap-- how can you defend corruption. Maybe you benefitted from the loot. The guy has Lawyers, why don't you leave the job to his legal team to battle it out it court. If Ghana is a serious nation you should be hauled ti the court.
Let no one stand in the pathway of rightness today or tomorrow. If Ato Forson is truly guilty of the charges, then he should face them squarely without any favours or machinations. But no one should also skew any evidence or connive with any judges to pronounce unjustified judgement on him just to score a cheap political point at the most crucial time of elections. In the same vein, none of the NPP guys currently milking our nation dry should be spared in the nearest future. Parliament should remove so called unreasonable immunity so that president Akufo Addo and Bawumia can equally face any charges. It's obvious that no one in this government is clean of corruption. This is the only way we can begin cleaning up our nation.
Why Now? Have you been paid to talk for someone? TOOOOOOOO LATE! Are these same people (so-called CSO's) who talk against corruption in Ghana. Hm... it can't be!
When a court of Competent Jurisdiction has ruled that prosecution has established a prima facie case against the accused and therefore the burden has shifted, what is this guy saying???? This is a serious contemptuous statement that he could be hauled before the court. Please let us allow our institutions to work. If they are innocent, the court will set them free. Thank you
Am not surprised when Martin Amidu described Samson Lardy as a chief executioner of Ndc and Joy Fm propaganda. This happened when Samson came in as a host and pushed the regular panelists out. He then established his proxy ndc propagandist as independent intellectuals commentators. Bright Simon, Kobby Mensah, Prof. Gyampo etc. Their roles is to target the floating voters in the middle class who are seen as the majority in our elections. But Trust me. Time will tell
These Empty barrels at IMANI are incredibly irritating, as they seem to believe they have authority over Ghana and can dictate actions to the ATTORNEY GENERAL and the ALW COURT. Is it true that the NDC purchased empty ambulances and fewer than they had promised? Another problematic figure is Sampson Lardy, who, while pretending to be impartial, seems more like a propagandist working for the NDC.
IMANI has lost everything I had for them and I surely think they have realized they are loosing Ghanaians . I respected bright Simon for his intellectual presentations, but now he has lost it entirely.
What this chap called Bright Simmons is doing with the help of Samson Lardy is what I called intellectual arm robbery. Bright uses PowerPoint presentation skewed to his storyline and end up influencing the discussion on the table. Why is Samson Lardy not also allowing others to use PowerPoint so that we all know we at the lecture theatre? Bright will drag the numbers watching Newsfile down, if Samson Lardy and producer do take care and stop this unworthy presentation by Bright Simmons. His analyses are at best weak and flawed. Bright should have apologised to EC given his incorrect and bogus analyses
You are entitled to your opinion. How pathetic!