Kweku Baako sues Kennedy Agyapong for GHS25m

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako has sued Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, at the Accra High Court, seeking damages to the sum of GHS25 million for defamation.

According to Mr Baako, the lawmaker defamed him on a radio talk show called Boiling Point on Oman FM and Adom Badwam talk show on Adom FM on separate dates.

Mr Baako is also praying the court to direct Mr Agyapong to “publish on three consecutive occasions on the same platform that he published the defamatory words, an unqualified retraction and an apology, with the same prominence as given to the issuance of the defamatory words. Other costs including legal fees and any others as this honourable court may deem fit.”

While talking on Boiling Point on Oman FM, Mr Agyapong according to the plaintiff allegedly said the following about him.

“You [referring to the plaintiff], Anas and your lawyer, yeah, they are real evil guys [referring to the plaintiff and Anas] … Kweku Baako will collapse NPP’s government should he allow it. Have you seen what he started with Charlotte Osei…?”

Mr Baako in the writ of summons also stated that the defendant on a talk show (Adom Badwam) on Adom FM on 24 July 2018, with host Omanhene Kwabena Asante, when one of the panelists suggested to the defendant that the plaintiff is very loyal to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and a best friend to the president, the defendant referring to him [Kweku Baako] said: “You don’t know the guy very well. Best of friends because of what he can get…You don’t know the guy very well”.

On the same show, the defendant is also alleged to have described Mr Baako as a “hypocrite” adding that “Kweku Baako is not an honest man at all”.

The plaintiff avers the defendant further made the following disparaging statement against him on the same show: “I said he is not a saint. Kweku Baako is not a saint. He is evil … very evil man … he’s a very evil man”.

Mr Baako and Mr Agyapong have not seen eye to eye since investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas premiered his documentary titled, Number 12, which uncovered rot in Ghana football.

While Mr Agyapong was against the modus operandi of Anas’ work, Mr Baako was defending Anas which infuriated the lawmaker to make disparaging comments about him [Baako].