A national Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has sued the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC and six others over accusations that he (Ampofo) leaked the “famous” Dr Kwesi Botchway report.
The libel suit named the Eastern Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Bismark Tawiah Boateng; the Daily Guide newspaper and its publisher, Western Publications; Mr Fortune Alimi, the Editor of the newspaper; Mr William Yaw Owusu, a reporter of the newspaper, an Accra–based radio station, Okay FM, and a presenter at the station, Kwame Nkrumah (aka Tikesie) as defendants.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo wants the Accra High Court to order the defendants to pay him damages of GH¢10 million.
“I am not a traitor”
The Dr Kwesi Botchway report, which is said to have chronicled the shortcomings of the NDC that led to its defeat in the 2016 general election, has become a topical issue in media circles after it was allegedly leaked.
For some time now, the Daily Guide has been serialising what they claimed to be the report and bashing the NDC from all angles.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, in his statement of claim, said on October 27, 2017, Mr Boateng made accusations which were published on an online news platform, ghananewsreport.com, to the effect that he (Ofosu-Ampofo) leaked the report to the Daily Guide, although the NDC had officially declared that the report was confidential.
The comments of Mr Boateng, he said, portrayed him as a “traitor to the NDC’s cause” and someone bent on forging disunity in the party.
Again, the NDC national vice chairman said on October 25, 2017, Mr Boateng granted an interview to Okay FM and accused him of being the one who leaked the report to the Daily Guide.
Academic credentials
The former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development further claimed that Mr Boateng also accused him of lying about his academic credentials.
He averred that the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party made a statement to the effect that after the death of former President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, he (Ofosu-Ampofo) pleaded with him (Boateng) and other party officials to lobby the position of Vice–President of the country for him.
Mr Boateng, he said, accused him of failing to prove his academic credentials during the said lobbying process.
The said comments, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo averred in his suit, were carried on the front page of the Daily Guide on October 30, 2017 with the headline: “NDC GURUS IN DIRTY FIGHT.”
According to him, he has never met Mr Boateng to solicit support for any vice- presidential ambition and his comments that he (Ofosu-Ampofo) lied about his academic credentials (which was published by the Daily Guide) were defamatory.
“It was maliciously made by the defendants to have the plaintiff’s (Ofosu-Ampofo) reputation seriously damaged and lowered in the estimation and minds of ordinary and right-thinking members of society and plaintiff has suffered considerable embarrassment and distress,’’ the statement of claim added.
To support his case, the NDC vice Chairman listed all his academic qualification in his writ, stating, “Plaintiff has over the years, by providence, honesty, integrity and diligence built an excellent and respected reputation for himself.”
More claims
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo also wants the court to order the defendants to pay him general damages for libel and cost, including attorney fees.
He is also seeking a “perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and each of them, their servants, or agents or assigns from further publishing or causing to be published the said or similar words that are defamatory against him.
Source: Daily Graphic
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He needs money to revive his petrol filling station at Bunso on the Accra-Kumasi highway.
How can somebody who was once a photographer on bicycle come clean on his credentials?
R--u--b--b--i--s --h you are a fake christian. I know they will block some of my words. Shame on you, you talk r-u-b-b-i-s-h and all k-i-n-d of n-o-n-s-e--n--s--e about the NPP and the President, but nobody sues you. Hypocrisy, fake and a pretender christian.
Rubbish you are fake christian. I know they will block some of my words. Shame on you, you talk rubbish and all kind of ***barred word*** about the NPP and the President, but nobody sues you. Hypocrisy, fake and a pretender christian.
this is unity court
This confirms the excellent UNITY in the ONAAPO party. When you see church elders going to court, to sue their fellow party members/christians then you know there is real unity. Interesting times ahead.
Things are falling apart within the create, l00t and share party....... Ghanaians will be better off without these NDC th.ie.ve. s....
If these two (2) Executives of NDC attends the so called Unity Walk, how will they fare. A Party (NDC) which the former President told the whole Nation that there is a Strong Unity in NDC than any other Party in the Country. Now what happened from One (1) month to now the Unity has scattered. It just like Cow's shiit the surface is DRIED but the Inside is more than MUD.
This is the suppose united party. God is watching
Hello Elder, Kindly take Lawyer A. Amaleba, Lawyer C. Acumey and Lawyer D. Annan as your lawyers. In fact they are very good lawyers. They will win the case for for at all course.