The Hon. Samuel Ofosu- Ampofo, Vice Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), is praying the High Court of Ghana to compel Mr. Bismark Tawiah Boateng, the Eastern Regional Chairman of his party, the Daily Guide News Paper, Western Publication Limited, publishers of the Daily Guide News Paper, Mr. William Yaw Owusu, reporter of Daily Guide News Paper, and Okay FM to either substantiate their allegations against him, that he leaked the controversial Kwasi Botwe committee report to the media or failure to do so compensate him in damages for libel in the sum of Ten Million Cedis (GH¢ 10,000,000.00); General Damages for libel;
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 of defamatory against him.
The court has since 7th November 2017 issued summons to the accused persons following the case which was filed before it on 27th of October 2017 compelling the accused persons to appear before it.
In the statement of Claim sighted by Ahotoronline. Com, the Hon Samuel Ofosu Ampofo avers that
Mr. Bismark Tawiah Boateng printed and published or caused to be printed and published on ghananewsreporters.com, an online internet portal the following statement which defames him. It reads :
“Ofosu Ampofo Leaked Kwesi Botchwey Report -NDC’s Tawiah Boateng Reveals … “
The writ further explains the above statements to mean the following. It indicates:
‘ In their natural and ordinary meaning the said words meant and were understood to mean: (a)Hon.Ampofo, who is a National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), dishonestly and without authority provided the Daily Guide newspaper with the Dr. Kwesi Botchway Committee’s Report who in turn has been serializing it even though the NDC has officially declared and kept the report as a confidential document;’
It further adds,
‘ (b)Hon. Ampofo, a National Vice Chairman of the Party is a traitor to the NDC’s cause of forging unity amongst its members and has been unprofessional, unscrupulous and untrustworthy. ‘
Other claims in the writ of summons indicate that
‘ on 27th of October 2017, during the course of the “Morning Agenda” radio programme on Oman fm, Mr. Bismark Tawiah again caused to be published the following words or statement, which are defamatory to Hon. Ampofo : “When there was a vacancy at the presidency following the death of President John Evans Atta Mills, he (Ofosu Ampofo) wanted President Mahama, who was then acting, to select him as his vice…’
The hon. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo deny the claim entirely and prays the court to give him an opportunity to salvage whatever is left of his hard earned reputation which has been badly bruised by this unproved attacks .
Below are sighted writ of summons,
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
