Kuagbenu chases Daily Guide

The immediate past Director of the National Service Secretariat, Vincent Kuagbenu, has threatened to sue “Daily Guide” for defamation unless the anti-government tabloid retracts and apologize for a libelous story it published in it October 30, 2014 edition.

Though the publication which was headlined, "ROT at NSS: Former Director Grabs Five Mansions” did not mentioned Mr Kuagbenu by name, a statement by his lawyers, A-Partners@Law, claimed the story makes a perfect description of their client.

The October 30, 2014 banner headline story of the pro-New Patriotic Party tabloid alleged among other things that "a former Executive Director of the organization ‘who has landed a juicy appointment at the Flagstaff House’ acquired not less than five houses in four years before he was removed". It went on to claim that "Shortly after his removal from office, some concerned members of staff of the NSS wrote to President John Mahama to institute a probe into the activities of the NSS boss and purge the scheme of the "institutionalized thievery and naked robbery of stated funds by him and his cohorts".

The story further claimed that" the said the former NSS boss lived far above his means, acquiring flashy, expensive and luxurious cars – Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Saloon Cars, among others – as well as mansions in Abokobi, Oyarifa, Trade Fair Site, ACP Estates at Pokuase, Sakumono and other places in Accra."

But a rejoinder from Mr Kuagbenu’s lawyers categorically denied all the allegations in the Daily Guide, saying “he never and has never committed any of the alleged acts, neither was he or has he ever been found guilty of any acts of financial malfeasance, corruption, fraud or infidelity or any such as claimed in the publication.”

The statement added that the former NSS Director does not own the said mansions and fleet of cars the story alleged he amassed during his tenure in office.

“He does no own or has he ever acquired the said five mansions or more mansions, ‘flashy, expensive and luxurious cars” and never in the names of friends as a cover up”

According to the statement Mr Kuagbenu is “unaware of a purported report forming the gospel of the said defamatory publication made without any effort whatsoever to contact him, at least to give semblance of compliance with the most basic journalistic standard of fair and balanced reportage,”