Re: The Judges' Murder And Matters Arising

Biadela Mortey Akpadzi, Esq.
BSc. (Admin) Hons., MA Law,
Pg. Dip. ? IT & Telecommunications Law,
Barrister & Solicitor.

July 28, 2004,

Dear Sirs/Madam,

RE: THE JUDGES? MURDER AND MATTERS ARISING

In my letter to Professor Oquaye, I wanted to give him the opportunity, without any publicity, of retracting the false and libelous statements he made about me and published in your two dailies on Wednesday March 24/27 and Monday March 29, 2004 respectively.


I did not even send your papers a copy of my letter because this was to enable him demonstrate his good faith to the whole world that he was really a conscientious researcher and well intended to provide his readers with a truthful assessment of the situation and therefore was honest enough to recognize and correct his mistakes and apologize for the various untruthful assertions he made about me in the said article.


Unfortunately however, Professor Oquaye?s reply has left me with no option than to write and demand that you publish my side of the issue as I am constitutionally entitled to and also that your papers as well as Professor Oquaye apologise, for the damage caused to my reputation by the said article..


In his article under the above stated heading, Professor Oquaye wrote that ???. Where is Mr. Mortey-Akpadzi, who is supposed to have told Tsikata that he (Mortey-Akpadzi) showed the houses of the judges to Amartey Kwei? In the name of justice, let him come out and help us resolve this national riddle. Tsikata has named his witness ???.?.. Or is this witness also dead??.


Professor Oquaye in his reply admits that I never said what he attributed to me in his original article and neither did Capt Tsikata say at the NRC that I was the person who went to show Amedeka the houses of the three judges and the retired Major, (thus portraying me as a self confessed conspirator and abettor to the offence of murder which carries the death penalty) and also that I exist as a human being and not a ghost or a fabricated entity as he tried to make the whole world to believe.

That in fact I have appeared before the National Reconciliation Commission to give evidence which ghosts and non existent persons do not do. He however seeks to hide under the excuse that ?definitely, it took some time for my article to reach the media and I was reacting to what had earlier transpired?.


This statement, to say the least is very dishonest, because it never ?transpired? that I had said what he attributed to me, neither did Capt Tsikata say any such thing about me when testifying before the NRC.


It would have been very honourable for the Professor to admit his mistake and apologize not only to me but to his readers for having misinformed them. His failure and reasons given, trying to justify his actions shows that he did not act in good faith and was rather actuated by malice. I would have thought that the Professor is honourable enough to realize, that like he does, I also have an image to protect.


The other interesting aspect of this issue is the attitude of your newspapers on the whole matter. Having covered the proceedings of the NRC and in fact published excerpts of my testimony just a few days before Professor Oquaye?s article, your papers still went ahead and published his article without even editing out the untruths even though the truth was known to your paper.


Interestingly however, you seem to have also hidden behind the puerile justification given by Professor Oquaye and refused or failed to do what is reasonable to do- apologize to me and your readers. I hope you will have the courage of your convictions and do what is honourable. I am demanding this as a right to which I am entitled as a party who has been injured by your actions and in order to make any further action from me unnecessary.

Yours faithfully,
Biadela Mortey Akpadzi

CC: Professor Mike Oquaye,
Ghana High Commission,
50-N, Satya Marg, Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi, 110021, India.