The Founder of the Danquah Institute and a member of the governing New Patriotic Party has dragged the editor of the Herald Newspaper to court accusing him of libel.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko is asking for aggravated damages against Larry Dogbe for his publication on the controversial Ameri deal, which among other things, accused the former of wrong doing.
The June 22, 2018 edition of the Herald newspaper with the headline “Akufo-Addo’s family turns Ghana into a monarchy state; powerful bumpty, Gabby Otchere-Darko surge on Ameri deal” suggested in part that the Danquah Institute founder was involved in some underhand deals in the infamous Ameri renegotiation deal.
“The energy sector, has witnessed the biggest incursion of the governing family with various mid-night deals being cut on the blind side of Ghanaians. The situation looks like Ghana is now a monarchy with president Akufo-Addo, sitting at the top as king”
“… The Herald is informed about how the family of the forced the Dubai-based owners of Ameri Energy into a meeting in Ghana in which Bumpty Akufo-Addo and Gabby Asare Otchere Darko were present and took center stage,” the paper said.
The publication came at the time when the Akufo-Addo led government was trying to renegotiate the power deal with the Dubai company after criticising the original contract signed between the company and the erstwhile John Mahama led government.
The renegotiated contract was deemed to be worse off and the fallout has been massive. The Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has lost his job and there appears to be a court suit hanging around the neck of the Editor of the Herald Newspaper.
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko insists the allegations made by Mr Dogbe in the newspaper were palpably false.
In the heat of the allegations, he posted a picture on facebook saying in December 2016, at the time when the NPP was in opposition, members of the Dubai based company had approached and met with the Akufo-Addo led campaign even before the NPP won the elections.
According to him, it was a picture taken in that meeting which supporters of the NDC were riding on and creating the impression as if the meeting had taken place whilst the NPP was in government.
He has proceeded from the facebook post to the law court, seeking damages for what he says is a dent on his reputation.
“The defendants were malicious in their publication of the words complained of.
The defendants were persistent and emphatic as to the purported undesirability and domineering nature of the plaintiff.
The defendants insisted that the falsehood they were knowingly peddling was the truth,” he said in his 12-paged writ he filed against Larry Dogbe and his Herald newspaper.
He is asking the court for “general damages for libel” as well as “aggravated damages arising out of the libel.”
However, the Editor of the newspaper has told Joy News he is unfazed by the suit.
According to him Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko is trying to gag him on a matter that has received immense public interest.
He was emphatic that he stands by the allegations made in the publication.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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IN FACT, YOU GUYS DEFENDING GABI TO SUE SHOULD NO BETER THAT NPP/NDC WILL NEVER BE IN POWER SO STOP YR HIPPOCRATES AND FOCUS ON WHAT TO DO TO MOVE ON. GABI WILL NOT BE IN POWER TILL JESUS COME. WHEN YOU ARE GIVEN CHANCE ON PLAT FORM LIE THIS PLS USE YR MIND TO PROVE AND ENCOURAGE WHAT IS GOOD NOT TO BE PUSHING GABI TO SUE IT WILL NOT HELP.
NICE ONEITS ABOUT TIME FAKE NEWS IS DEAL WITH
These demoooonic people have started again. They are using on NPA boss, Boost for CEO, a district chief executive and they will not rest until they lie to come back to power and continue their create loot and share to mess the economy once again through inflated project prices.
GABBY NICE ONE.IF YOU DON'T SUE THIS NDC NEWSPAPERS THEY WILL SPOIL YOUR REPUTATION.
I love this, if they do not sue them of these lies they will use their papers to destroy good citizens with their propaganda. They did this in 2008 and won power and mess the economy. Ghanaians rejected them and voted for people with good heart to steer the affairs of the nation. You see they have started again.
When they start auctioning their properties then the Kwesi Pratt's will come in to complain about gagging the media. Yesterday i listened to the editor on Joy FM his argument so porous and childish AND Straight away he starts talking about gagging if u have the truth why talking about gagging? nsemfo wor Ghana.