My prosecution was a baseless attempt to intimidate me – Ato Forson

Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, has condemned his recent prosecution as a politically motivated and baseless attempt to silence his dissenting voice.

Speaking vehemently on the Floor of Parliament on January 6, Forson labelled the charges against him—relating to an ambulance procurement deal—as unfounded, accusing the government of using the legal system to target and intimidate him.

A vocal critic of the government’s economic policies, Dr. Forson argued that the prosecution was a calculated move to undermine his influence as a prominent opposition figure, particularly in light of his vocal stance against the government’s handling of the economy.

He specifically pointed to the involvement of the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, claiming that the legal action was part of a broader “malicious prosecution” campaign aimed at discrediting him.

Forson further questioned the timing of the prosecution, which coincided with heated debates surrounding the government’s controversial e-levy policy.

He believes the charges were politically timed, designed to neutralise him at a time when he had been particularly outspoken against the government’s economic strategies.

“My recent prosecution, or rather persecution, by the Attorney General over frivolous and trumped-up charges was a deliberate attempt to intimidate, silence, and ultimately suppress a dissenting voice,Dr. Forson said. “My crime, it seems, was speaking out against an economy that was being mismanaged and ruined by a select few in government.”

He also emphasised that the Attorney General’s actions were aimed at quelling opposition to the government, particularly following his opposition to the e-levy, a policy that sparked nationwide debate.

“The fact that this prosecution began during the tussle over the e-levy should not be lost on anyone. I became an instant target for the regime, and the Attorney General, along with the Minister for Justice, was determined to employ every tactic, no matter how crude, to silence me,” Dr. Forson added.

The Minority Leader concluded by stating that the prosecution was nothing more than a political strategy to weaken opposition voices in Ghana’s political landscape.

He vowed to continue challenging government policies and speaking out against what he described as widespread mismanagement.