Bantama MP Sues Media General, Captain Smart; Demands ₵10 Million In Damages
The Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency, Francis Asenso Boakye has filed a defamation lawsuit against media organisation Media General Limited and their worker, Captain Smart.
This comes after the media organisation failed to grant the legislator’s demand for a retraction and apology over a “false” statement made against him to the effect that he influenced the transfer of a customs officer at Tema Port even though it had been recommended by a disciplinary committee.
The lawmaker is seeking GH₵10 Million in damages against the organisation plus the cost of his legal service.
Additionally, the Minister for Works and Housing wants the organisation and Captain Smart to admit and publish that the statement was false; he wants them to retract and apologise; he wants a restraining injunction against the organisation, its agents and elements from further publishing defamatory statements against him; and he wants a restraining injunction against the organisation from using their platform to spread malice and false statements about him.
Background
Asenso Boakye demanded a retraction and apology from broadcaster Captain Smart over “false claims” in a press statement on August 29, 2022.
The host of Onua Maakye Morning Show, Captain Smart, is reported to have alleged that Asenso Boakye interfered and hindered the transfer of one Mr Adubufuor, a Customs Officer stationed at the Tema Port after a Disciplinary Committee had made that recommendation.
On the same day, Lawyers for Asenso Boakye issued a seven-day ultimatum to Accra-based Onua Tv and FM to apologise and retract the “false statement” they’ve been making against their client.
Narrating his involvement in the incident in his press release, Asenso Boakye said it happened in 2018 before he became an MP, while he held the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the President.
He recounted that he received a call from some of his constituents who informed him about the transfer of Mr Adubufuor.
He noted that the constituents felt the transfer “unfairly targeted the dutiful performance of his function as customs officer”.
The lawmaker, therefore “called the then Customs Boss to ascertain the veracity of the claim. He denied any such transfer was being considered. I conveyed this feedback to the elders and took no further interest in the matter.
“At no time in the course of my conversation with the Customs Boss or Captain Smart was I made aware of any disciplinary committee recommendation to transfer Mr Adubofuor as was stated by Captain Smart on his TV programme. “
Asenso Boakye holds that he never “exerted undue influence on the Customs Boss to maintain Mr Adubofour, an authority I simply did not have, even if, indeed, he was to be transferred”.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
