Student in court for distributing defamatory publications against President

Accra, Dec. 23, GNA - A student of the University of Cape Coast who was apprehended for distributing defamatory publications about President John Agyekum Kufuor and 24 other Ministers on alleged secret bank accounts on Tuesday appeared at a Circuit Court in Accra.

Charged with publishing false news intent to cause fear and alarm and possessing forged documents, Paulina Ampomah pleaded not guilty. The court, presided over by Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills admitted her to bail in the sum of GH¢ 100,000 with justification to reappear on December 24 for definite hearing.

Paulina is to report to Police every Monday.

Mr Kwablah Senanu who represented the accused in applying for bail drew the court's attention of the need for the case to be heard in the Central Region where the alleged offence took place.

According to Mr Senanu the first charge stated the offence took place at Assin Foso and the court tasked prosecution to take a second look at that.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr George Abavelim told the court that Paulina is a native of Assin Fosu in the Central Region.

On December 6, this year security agencies had information that Paulina was distributing some printed seditious materials to the public at Assin Fosu which was defaming President Kufuor and the 24 Ministers of State.

Prosecution said the Police therefore mounted surveillance and apprehended Paulina who was giving out copies of the printed materials to a witness in the case.

After Paulina's arrest, a search conducted in her car with Registration number GE 6546 W which had 138 copies of Bank statements purported to have been obtained from Prudential Bank bearing the name of the President and Ministers with various sums of money lodged in them. The monies were alleged to have been stolen from government coffers. When accused was questioned over the materials she admitted ownership but failed to inform the Police of the source.