Multimedia Apologises, Retracts Publication After Duker Suit
The Multimedia Group has apologised and retracted its publication about the alleged involvement of Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural resources, George Mireku Duker in illegal mining activities.
The media organisation says the publication was an “anomaly”.
In an interview with JoyNews, a subsidiary of the Multimedia Group, on October 10, the chief of Dompim Pepesa, Nana Nyonwah Panyin IV alleged that Mireku Duker and two other government officials were behind illegal mining in his community.
He is quoted to have said, “I know not of any company but I know of the very people who are behind the operations of ‘galamsey’ in my area. First and foremost the Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah is involved. The MP for the area, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Honorable George Mireku-Duker is also involved and the MCE, Benjamin Kessie is also involved. I have told you I am not going to disclose my arsenals to you.”
The chief is reported to have repeated the allegation in an interview on Accra FM, a subsidiary of the Class Media Group, that same week.
Mireku Duker reacted to the allegation with a suit against the two media organisations and the chief.
In a writ, the lawyers of the plaintiff said the two media organisations gave their platforms to the chief to propagate “lies” and also failed to provide their clients with the same avenue to respond to the allegations.
The plaintiff among other things was seeking a declaration of the publication as defamatory; Ghc 10 million in damages against the defendants; an apology; and an injunction to restrain the defendants and their agents from further making such allegations against him.
But apologising and retracting in a letter dated October 24 and addressed to the Minister, the Multimedia group dissociated itself from the comments of the chief.
“In the course of the interview, he mentioned you as a person he knew to be involved in illegal business. The show host immediately demanded proof of the allegation. Our host steered off the allegation and issued a disclaimer when Nana Panyin IV sought to insist he was speaking the truth.”
It continued to describe as “unfortunate” the fact that the allegation was published on its news website and noted that it has since been taken down.
Meanwhile, it said disciplinary proceedings were commenced to forestall reoccurrence.
It added, “we once again…retract and apologise to you for the anomaly.”
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
