Rev Kusi Boateng Restraining Application Against Ablakwa Trashed, Slapped With ¢10k Cost

The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court has dismissed a restraining application by a Board member of the National Cathedral Trustees, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng, against the Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The founder of Power Chapel Church through the application sought to restrain the legislator from making public disclosures about him in February.

The application was filed after Rev Kusi Boateng also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, had filed a defamation suit against the lawmaker. In his application, he posited the conduct of Hon Ablakwa borders on his fundamental human rights under Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution and Order 67 of C.I. 47.

But in a ruling on the restraining order on Thursday, July 13, the court presided over by Justice Barbara Tetteh Charway dismissed the application scouring Article 33 implied the enforcement of a human right of a person or entity with personal interest, Graphic reports.

The court said, the two distinctive identities – Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng and Kwabena Adu-Gyamfi, meant it was not clear which of the two identities sought the enforcement of the human right, according to the news outlet which also added that the court dismissed the contention of Rev Kusi Boateng aka Mr Adu-Gyamfi that the two names referred to the same person, and held that how the two names had been deployed meant two completely separate identities.

It furthered that the revelations by the legislator were within the remit of his oversight role.

Finally, the court awarded a cost of GHC10,000.00 against Rev. Victor Kusi Boateng/Kwabena Adu Gyamfi.

In a Facebook post after the ruling, the legislator dedicated his legal victory to his sympathisers.

“I dedicate this latest legal victory to the masses who have kept me resolute with their prayers and support for transparent and accountable governance.”

He now battles the substantive case of defamation which was filed after he petitioned the Commission on Human Rights Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to the effect that the pastor had engaged in a conflict of interest in his capacity as the secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana.