Deputy Finance Minister Abena Osei-Asare has sued the editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako Jr, as well as his newspaper and one other journalist for claiming she had hand in the demolition of a building at Roman Ridge.
The story was headlined: ‘Dubai embassy demolishing spree, minister and husband fingered’.
The paper first broke the story on 18 October 2021.
It was alleged at the time that Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly downed the building because it sat on a property belonging to former President John Mahama.
However, the paper published the same story again on 4 April 2022 even though the reporter in question, Frank Amponsah, met with the Deputy Minister’s lawyer and was given full access to all the court documents and facts relating to the case, which started in the year 2002 and had judgment given in 2015.
The High Court, in 2015, granted judgment in favour of Mr Frank Nuamah, against three defendants, Adjei Darko, Francis Don Lartey and Alhaji Adama, as far as the litigation over the property was concerned.
Mr Nuamah, who was the plaintiff in the matter, was put in possession of the property when the court went into execution in May 2016.
In November 2020, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe of the High Court dismissed an application by one of the defendants, Alhaji Adams, to have the judgment set aside.
Mr Nuamah then proceeded to pull down the building in May 2016.
The Deputy Minister, in her writ, said associating her with the demolition has “seriously injured” her reputation and damaged her image in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society, hence the decision to sue.
Source: Classfmonline.com