Justice Efia Serwah Asare-Botwey, presiding over the trial of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has instructed the National Security to investigate the source of an audio recording of court proceedings that has been circulating.
The trial, which was paused on Tuesday, June 19, faced disruption after Deputy Attorney-General Alfred Tuah Yeboah raised concerns about the recording.
The case was halted due to concerns over an audio recording of last week’s cross-examination of the third accused, Richard Jakpa. This recording had been shared across various WhatsApp platforms, prompting the Deputy Attorney-General to alert the court.
Justice Asare-Botwey called all involved parties, including the accused, into chambers for a private meeting to address the issue.
Following the meeting, she issued a stern warning: “If it’s repeated, I’ll clear the court and hold the case in-camera. Only prosecution, lawyers, and the accused persons will be allowed in.”
Despite the audio recording’s circulation, Mr. Tuah Yeboah emphasized that the prosecution was not concerned about its contents, as it did not reveal anything damaging to the case.
He stated, “Not at all, because this audio is nothing that you have heard. In terms of the content, we are not minded about that because it is something that is in the public domain.”
The High Court, on June 13, admitted the audio recording into evidence. On the same day, Justice Asare-Botwey dismissed an application for mistrial filed by the defense, ruling that the tape did not show any instruction from Attorney-General Godfred Dame for Mr. Jakpa to implicate Dr. Ato Forson.
In response to the recording, lawyers for the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, filed a supplementary affidavit supporting their motion for an order of mistrial, injunction, and a stay of proceedings in the ongoing ambulance case.
The trial continues to draw significant attention, with the judiciary now taking steps to ensure the integrity of the court proceedings and prevent further unauthorized recordings.
The National Security’s investigation is expected to uncover the source of the leak and maintain the confidentiality of future court sessions.