An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe has found the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong ‘guilty’ of defaming Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper Abdul Malik Kweku Baako.
He has been given up to 30 days to retract and apologise three times on the platforms he used to defame the veteran journalist fined GHS100, 000 in damages plus cost of GHS30, 000
Kweku Baako had sued Assin Central MP at the Accra High Court, seeking damages to the sum of GH¢25 million for defamation.
According to Mr Baako, the lawmaker defamed him on a radio talk show called Boiling Point on Oman FM and Adom Badwam talk show on Adom FM on separate dates.
Mr Baako had prayed the court to direct Mr Agyapong to “publish on three consecutive occasions on the same platform that he published the defamatory words, an unqualified retraction and an apology, with the same prominence as given to the issuance of the defamatory words. Other costs including legal fees and any others as this honourable court may deem fit.”
While talking on Boiling Point on Oman FM, Mr Agyapong according to the plaintiff allegedly said the following about him.
“You [referring to the plaintiff], Anas and your lawyer, yeah, they are real evil guys [referring to the plaintiff and Anas] … Kweku Baako will collapse NPP’s government should he allow it. Have you seen what he started with Charlotte Osei…?”
The plaintiff avers the defendant further made the following disparaging statement against him on the same show: “I said he is not a saint. Kweku Baako is not a saint. He is evil … very evil man … he’s a very evil man”.
Reacting to the judgement, Kweku said “The Law has spoken. And it spoke loud and clear in a court of competent jurisdiction! I am happy I chose to vindicate my integrity in the appropriate forum; a court of law, and not on radio, television and social media networks which were/are available options in our democratic space. There is no oxygen of life for ugly noises and allegations born out of allegations in a court of law. There, facts and evidence speak; not ugly noises and malicious allegations. I thank my wife, children and friends, especially the “The Coffee Shop Mafya” group for their support and prayers throughout the 20 or so months of the litigation in court! May Allah bless them all. Long live Ghana”
Source:MyNewsGh.com/Stephen Zoure/2020
