Ashanti regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Frederick Fredua Antoh, is going to court to clear charges of embezzlement involving various sums of money levelled against him. Messrs S. K. Boafo & Co. of the Gye Nyame Chambers in Kumasi representing Antoh, who is also a businessman, filed the writ of summons at a Kumasi high court on Tuesday March 11, this year.
The suit is against Oppong Twumasi Electronic Company Limited (OTEC FM) for defamation. Antoh, per the said writ claims that on March 3 and 4 this year the defendant broadcast during its morning talk show that he (Antoh) had embezzled ?3 billion; $5,000; 25,000 DM and ?10,000 belonging to the Ashanti regional branch of the NPP.
The said broadcast is said to have mentioned that Antoh had been able to account for only ?18 million out of the lot and that the case depicted a clear case of corruption which was perceived to have existed only in the previous NDC regime. ''Corruption is everywhere,'' it was reportedly broadcast during the talk show.
In a statement of claim, Antoh said the allegations were defamatory and the statement false and malicious. The legal action comes from failure of the defendant to comply with the terms of Antoh’s solicitors for the defendant to retract the defamatory words against him.
Meanwhile, "Chronicle" gathers that OTEC FM has lodged a case of assault with the Manhyia police against Antoh. The party chairman is said to have gone to the radio station and assaulted the presenter of the said morning talk show in an attempt to clear himself.
Mrs. Serwaa Derkye, a founding member of the party who accompanied the chairman there has, however, refuted the allegation of assault against Chairman Antoh.
Antoh would be contesting for the position of regional chairman at the impending Ashanti regional congress of the NPP scheduled for March 22.
