Mensah Thompson, ASEPA Boss
A GHC10million defamation suit has been filed at the Accra High Court against radio show host Kwabena Bobie Ansah, of Accra FM, Class Media Group and two others. The four persons have been sued for allegedly defaming private businessman and Managing Director of Amaadi Cold Stores Limited, Edward Akufo-Addo.
The radio show host and his panellists are said to have alleged on ‘The Citizen Show’, on Accra FM on May 29, 2021, that the Plaintiff, Mr Akufo-Addo, had been using Ghana’s presidential jet, ‘The Falcon’. Mr Edward Akufo-Addo is a younger brother to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The statement of claim filed at the court by Kwaku Asirifi, counsel for the plaintiff, has Class Media Group, operators of Accra FM, as the first respondent, with Kwabena Bobbie Ansah as the second.
The 3rd defendant, who allegedly made the allegation, is the Executive Director of a group called the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson. The fourth defendant, Listowell Nana Kusi-Poku, also touts himself as the Executive Director of a group called the Good Governance and Advocacy Group Ghana.
Reliefs sought
Mr Akufo-Addo, popularly known as Bumpty, is asking the court to order the defendants to jointly and severally pay “Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GH¢10, 000, 0.00) damages for defamation contained in the publication by Defendants on 29/05/21 and more particularized in paragraph 9 of this Statement of Claim”. He is also asking for “an apology and retraction of the words complained of particularly in paragraph 9 of the Statement of Claim with the same prominence as the impugned publication.”
He is also seeking “perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their servants, agents or assigns from repeating same or other similar words of and concerning Plaintiff and cost inclusive of legal fees.”
Claims
According to the statement of claim, “Plaintiff avers that in the course of the program, the 3rd and 4th Defendants, aided and encouraged by 2nd Defendant, published of and concerning false and malicious statements about Plaintiffs alleged use of the Ghana Presidential Jet, also known as ‘the Falcon’.”
According to the plaintiff, “the words complained of, meant and were understood to mean that, even though he is not the President of Ghana, he has at his disposal and use, the Presidential Jet (theFalcon), by virtue of his relationship as a brother to the President of Ghana.”
It further said that “In seeking aggravated damage, the Plaintiff shall contend and so prove that the Defendants in publishing or causing to be published the statements complained of, were actuated by malice, in that they knew the words complained of to be utterly false, yet, 1st and 2nd Defendants looked on as 3rd and 4th Defendants make the statements without exacting any form of proof.”
“Unless otherwise restrained by this Honourable Court, Defendants will continue to publish similar and other defamatory statements about the Plaintiff,” the statement of claim added.
Damaged reputation
The suit noted that “By reason of the impugned publication, Plaintiff’s reputation and character has been severely damaged, and he has suffered considerable embarrassment, emotional torment, and distress. Plaintiff has been brought into public odium and contempt. Plaintiff says that the damage caused to his reputation is substantial as a result of his several years of education out of Ghana and extensive business dealings with partners outside Ghana.”
It added that “the impugned publication by Defendants has received huge circulation on social media platforms, causing Plaintiff to receive several calls from concerned friends, business partners and family members in the country and abroad.”
