Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Vice Chairman National Democratic Congress (NDC)
National Vice Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has sued the Eastern Regional Chairman of his party, Bismark Tawiah Boateng, together with private newspaper Daily Guide for defamation and libel, respectively.
Also named in the suit as defendants are Daily Guide Editor Fortune Alimi, Reporter William Yaw Owusu, Accra-based radio station Okay FM and Kwame Nkrumah also known as Tikesie, host of “Ade Akye Abia” on Okay FM.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, who is seeking GHS10 million for damages avers that Mr Boateng claimed he (Ofosu-Ampofo) leaked the Kwesi Botchwey Report of the NDC which the Daily Guide published in bits.
The suit, of which ClassFMonline.com has a copy, is dated 7 November. It was filed at the High Court and indicated that Mr Boateng printed and published or caused to be printed and published on ghananewsreporters.com, an online internet portal the following statements which are defamatory of the Plaintiff:
“Ofosu-Ampofo Leaked Kwesi Botchwey Report – NDC’s Tawiah Boateng Reveals … The report, since it was birthed has turned out a cancerous curse around the neck of the opposition NDC. The argument has assumed overpowering heights for the NDC with the latest being a string of damning allegations fingering Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, former Minister of Local Government and former National Organiser of the NDC, as responsible for leaking the Kwesi Botchwey report to the media… Tawiah Boateng says his twenty five years’ experience in politics is enough for him to tell without mincing words that Ofosu-Ampofo’s selfish dealings with Daily Guide led to the eventual revelation of the contents of the Kwesi Botchwey Committee report.
“As Eastern Regional Chairman and member of the National Executive Committee, Tawiah Boateng’s concession to the report having been leaked by Ofosu-Ampofo puts the brouhaha on the authenticity of the report to rest.”
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo further avers that: the 6th Defendant [Okay FM]] acting by the 7th Defendant [Kwame Nkrumah A.K.A. Tikesie] granted unrestricted access to air time to the 1st Defendant [Bismark Tawiah Boateng] on the 25th day of October, 2017 to publish statements that are defamatory of the Plaintiff.
It added that: “1st Defendant, while being interviewed by the 7th Defendant on the “Ade Akye Abia” morning show, accused the Plaintiff of being the one who leaked the Dr Kwesi Botchway committee report to the 2nd Defendant as part of Plaintiff’s agenda to malign the 1st Defendant”.
In addition to the GHS10 million being sought by the plaintiff, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo is also praying the court to place a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and each of them, their servants, or agents or assigns from further publishing or causing to be published the said or similar words defamatory of the Plaintiff.
