It was revealed that businessman Richard Jakpa, who’s at present on trial for inflicting a monetary lack of €2.37 million to the state in an ambulance deal, was dismissed from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in 2007 for “unsatisfactory conduct,” in a dramatic flip of occasions on the Accra Excessive Courtroom.
Deputy Lawyer-Normal Alfred Tuah-Yeboah launched a dismissal letter from the GAF into proof throughout the cross-examination of Jakpa on Thursday, June 27, 2024.
The letter, which was initially contested by Jakpa’s attorneys, was admitted by Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, who famous that Jakpa had already acknowledged the doc and will deal with its contents.
The dismissal letter, signed by the late Brigadier Normal M.Ok.G. Ahiaglo, the then Commander of the Southern Command, cited Jakpa’s failure to satisfy promotion requirements, constant fraudulent behaviour, and common indiscipline.
Jakpa, who was a Lieutenant, additionally had a historical past of indebtedness to varied people and establishments, together with a chronic debt to Recce Regt PRI.
The letter described Jakpa as a “unhealthy instance by all requirements,” highlighting a particular report from 2004 that advised he had reached his skilled ceiling, and a subsequent report from his commanding officer describing his conduct as “shameful and regrettable.”
The GAF determined that his continued service was not in its finest curiosity and discharged him beneath Article 15 of the Armed Forces Laws.
Throughout the trial, Deputy Lawyer-Normal Tuah-Yeboah requested Jakpa to establish the designation on the official seal of the letter. Jakpa claimed the writing was not legible, sparking additional questions concerning the integrity of the doc.
Jakpa additionally testified that the federal government breached the ambulance deal contract by establishing Letters of Credit score (LC) on to Large Sea as a substitute of his firm, Jakpa at Enterprise.
Nonetheless, he argued that this breach absolved his firm of any accountability for the monetary loss incurred by the state, prompting him to provoke a civil swimsuit. The Industrial Division of the Excessive Courtroom later dominated that each one LCs ought to be established in Jakpa’s identify.
Underneath cross-examination, Jakpa admitted {that a} 28.7% portion of the transaction quantity was allotted to his firm however acknowledged he was unaware of the precise nominal determine.
The trial continues because the court docket examines the implications of Jakpa’s previous conduct on his present authorized challenges.
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