KMA Boss Slaps Assemblymen With ?200m Law Suit

THE wranglings at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) took a dramatic turn last Tuesday with the filing of a writ at the Kumasi High Court by the KMA Chief Executive, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, against five assembly members for alleged defamation of character.

The writ, filed on behalf of the KMA chief Executive by his solicitors, Kofi Addo and Associate is against Nana Kofi Senyah, Gyasi Nimako, Addae Acheampong, Osei Badu Kaakyire and Amidu Gariba, all members of the KMA. The suit was prompted by a letter written by the defendants to President J.A. Kufuor and given wide and extensive publication with the Executive, legislature and judicial branches of government and the Ashanti Regional branch of the NPP.

The plaintiff, Maxwell Kofi Jumah contends that the contents of the said letter are “false. malicious, speculative and libelous”.

The letter, the plaintiff assets, was intended to expose him as a scheming, diabolical, unaccountable, callous, vindictive, bullying, lawless, power drunk, dictatorial, incompetent and corrupt public official who should not hold such office.

The plaintiff avers that his hand earned reputation as a public servant of repute and law abiding citizen has been hurt, ruined and damaged by the publication of the defendants letter and it would be very difficult if not impossible to repair the damage done to his reputation.

It was also intended to cast doubt about his competence and integrity as a high ranking and responsible public officer and lower him in the eyes of the President and all the leaders of the arms of government in particular and the whole populace generally, he said.

The plaintiff contends that having failed through legal means to unseat him or cause him to be dismissed, the defendants have resorted to a direct personal attack on his character, competence and integrity to achieve the same purpose.

The plaintiff says that the publication contains transparent falsehood, thinly veiled innuendos and unsubstantiated, uninvestigated and unproven allegations passed off as facts.

He claims that the publication is teleguided to dent his reputation and whittle away the support he enjoys from both the KMA, the general Kumasi populace and the New Patriotic Party (NPP)of which he is a member.

Among the relief being sought by the plaintiff are special damages in the sum of ?200 million for libel and defamation and an order compelling the defendants to retract the said letter and apologize to the plaintiff through the same medium.

He is also seeking an order perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants, their privies, legal representatives and assigns from repeating, carrying on or commencing such libelous publications against the plaintiff through whatever medium.

The defendants have eight days within which, to enter an appearance in default of which judgement would be given in their absence.

It will be recalled that there have been lots of agitations from fringe members of the KMA for the removal of Maxwell Kofi Jumah as KMA Chief Executive but without success.

Matters came to a head on Tuesday with the filing of a ?200 million suit against five of the assembly members by Metropolitan Chief Executive in a bid to stop the attacks on his reputation and character.