Mr. Jacob Lartey, a childhood friend of E.T. Mensah’s, has told an Accra Fast Track High Court that the cartoon of a sheep with a human head resembles the Honourable Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram.
When asked by Bram-Larbi, lawyer for the MP, on what he could see on the front page of the August 30, 2005 edition of DAILY GUIDE’s cartoon by Akosua, he said, “I can see a sheep with the head of a human being which resembles E.T. Mensah standing on a bridge.”
In the court presided over by Justice Ofori Atta where the MP, who is also the former Minister for Youth and Sports, is suing the popular cartoonist for libel, the witness said the sheep was standing behind what he perceived as President Kufuor on a bridge which he believes is the one at Ningo Prampram.
According to him, the whiskers of the sheep, its face, its haircut as well as everything else about it resembled his friend, Hon E.T. Mensah.
Mr. Lartey, who is also a retired manager of Ghana Telecom (GT), said he heard a discussion on radio about the cartoon and bought himself a copy of DAILY GUIDE on August 30, 2005, in response to a question by Mr. Bram-Larbi about where and when he first saw the cartoon.
Furthermore, the long-standing friend of E.T. Mensah said, going by the culture of the people of Ningo Prampram, it was an insult to consider a person a sheep.
This, he explained, was because the sheep was regarded as the least intelligent of all animals.
The retiree said when he saw the cartoon, his family members gathered around to discuss how such an honourable, humble and respectful member of their constituency could be reduced to such a level.
In response to a question as to how he would describe the former minister, Mr. Lartey, 64, said as a politician, E.T. Mensah was a pillar who was consulted on a lot of issues in the family as well as the area.
Under cross-examination by Godfred Yeboah Dame, counsel for defendants in the case, witness said he had known the MP for about 60 years.
In response to a question as to whether he was really familiar with customs and traditions of the people of the area, witness replied in the affirmative.
The court adjourned to December 3, 2007.
