Govt ceased dealing with my company after contract – Businessman opens defence

The businessman charged alongside the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, for allegedly causing financial loss of €2.37 million to the state in an ambulance deal, has told the High Court that his company dropped out of the ambulance transaction as soon as Big Sea signed the contract for the supply of the vehicles with the government.

Richard Jakpa, is the Executive Chairman of Jakpa Business Limited (JBL), an agent representing Big Sea, the company the prosecution claims supplied “unfit” ambulances to the state.

Mounting the witness box, Mr Jakpa, who was led by his lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, explained that by a contract between the government and Big Sea, which sought to get Big Sea to supply 200 ambulances and other accessories to the state, JBL was never a party to the contract.

Contract
He further told the court that the government ceased dealing with JBL after signing the contract with Big Sea, adding that it was, therefore, the mutual understanding between Big Sea, JBL and government that after the signing of the contract between Big Sea and the government, JBL’s relationship with government would no longer exist and that it was only Big Sea and JBL which had a relationship.

“JBL, therefore, did not sign as the supplier of the contract. The contract made no provision for JBL to undertake any obligations in respect of the 200 ambulance vehicles delivery arrangement.

“The contract also did not make any provision for the payment to JBL of any funds arising out of the transaction involving the 200 ambulances by government from Big Sea,” he said in his witness statement read in open court yesterday.

No responsibility
As a result of this, he said JBL owed no responsibility to the government regarding the delivery of the ambulances to government by Big Sea whether in terms of quantity or quality.

He added that even if Big Sea had any obligations related to the contract for the 200 ambulances, such an obligation would only arise in the context of JBL’s obligations to Big Sea as its agent.