Payment for ambulances : Ato Forson did not do the authorization – 2nd Prosecution witness
Former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and two others; Dr. Sylvester Anemana and businessman, Richard Jakpa have been charged by the state for causing financial loss over the importation of 30 ambulances out a total of 200.
The second prosecution witness in the Ato Forson case has told the High Court that the former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr.Cassiel Ato Forson did not authorize payment to the Dubai-based Big Sea General Trading Ltd for the supply of the ambulances to the Health Ministry.
He made this known during cross-examination by a lawyer for Ato Forson.
The Head of the Trade Finance Unit of the Bank of Ghana, Edward Markwei Jr revealed that Dr.Ato Forson did not authorize payment to Big Sea Limited and that he only signed a letter on the authority of Finance making a request for the establishment of letters of credit in Favour of Big Sea.
He added that the mandate of the Ministry of Health under the LC was to approve payment and accept documentation presented by Big Sea and duly authorize payment before payment could be done.
Mr. Markwei also said that anything contrary to the Ministry’s express approval and authorization would prevent the payment from being done and retention of the funds by the government.
Further to the above, the witness confirmed that the Bank of Ghana requested the Ministry of Health to approve Big Sea shipping documents and the payment of the first tranche of EUR 790,000 in a letter dated March 20, 2015.
For the two other payments of EUR 790,000, Mr. Markwei noted that they were made per the order of the Accra High Court and not approved nor same authorized by Ato Forson.
Additionally, Mr. Markwei per his witness statement specified in paragraph 16 had claimed and admitted to being untrue the fact that Dr. Forson requested for the establishment of “irrevocable, transferrable letters of credit”
Background
Former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, and two others; Dr. Sylvester Anemana and businessman, Richard Jakpa have been charged by the state for causing financial loss over the importation of 30 ambulances out a total of 200 in a contract between the Ministry of Health and a Dubai based Company in 2012.
