Free Press committee presents report.

The Committee of enquiry, set up to investigate allegations of blackmail against the Editor of the "Free Press", Mr Ato Sam, says it is convinced that the allegation is true.

The Committee said its investigations, corroborated by evidence including a forensic report, indicated that the Editor demanded 10 million cedis from Mr. George Gogo Nai, Chief Technical Advisor in charge of water at the Ministry of Works and Housing, to drop a story his paper had on the Korle lagoon project.

In its findings in an 11-page report, the Committee, chaired by Mr R.K. Tay with Nana Kofi Coomson as Member and Mr J.M.K. Ashie, Member Secretary, was tasked to investigate the conduct of Mr Ato Sam, as well as the spate of libel cases against the "Free Press" with the view to assisting the publisher, Mr Tommy Thompson, "to put his house in order".

This followed a publication on page three of Friday 29th May 1998 issue of the "Ghanaian Times" accusing the "Free Press" of blackmail.

The publication alleged that Mr Ato Sam, on his hospital bed, made Mr Nai to understand that, he had a damaging report to publish about him and was willing to drop the publication if Mr Nai would give him 10 million cedis.

The Committee based its conclusions on evidence before it that Mr Ato Sam had attempted to convince a principal witness, Mr Amoatey, to lie before the committee through a note he left at his (Amoatey's) house, as well as other witnesses.

Although he denied that he wrote the note, forensic reports examined by two representatives from the Ghana Journalists Association proved that he was the author.

Mr Amoatey, a reporter with the "Free Press", admitted before the Committee that he shuttled between his Editor and Mr Nai five times during negotiations for the payment which started from 10 million cedis but was later reduced to four million cedis out of which a deposit of two million cedis was paid.

The Editor also admitted that Mr Amoatey carried messages between him (Ato Sam) and Mr Nai but said he did so only three times and not five times. He also denied that the messages were on monetary negotiations.

He accepted responsibility for another note he addressed through Amoatey to Mr Owusu, then acting Editor of the Free Press, asking him to drop the story, which he had earlier regarded as very important. Owusu, however, published the story.

In its findings, the Committee said there was a "a degree of collusion" between Mr Amoatey and his Editor in respect of the demand for money from Mr Nai, adding that, evidence from other witnesses showed that Amoatey had an interest in having the story dropped even before he went along with the Editor.