Prez Akufo-Addo Demands Apology, Retraction From Al Jazeera Over Incriminating Documentary
The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, through his Secretary, has written to Al Jazeera Media Network to retract and apologise over allegations levelled against him in their recent documentary on gold smuggling and money laundering.
Parts of the documentary titled “Gold Mafia” featured Alistair Mathias, a gold trader and a financial architect- who builds a money laundering scheme for African leaders according to Aljazeera- bragging of his alliance with African leaders including President Akufo-Addo.
“There is no President or head of state either of us can’t get to him on this continent. Next door Swaziland the King is a close friend of mine. Zambia’s President is a close friend of my friend. DRC Congo the President has invited me several times that I should come and build a refinery. Ghana’s President is a good friend of mine. In fact, he was my lawyer. Cyril Ramaphosa here, I know him. I know his kids,” Matthias bragged in the documentary.
It also alleged that President Akufo-Addo personally and unlawfully benefitted from $100 million state infrastructure contract awarded to Matthias.
Denial
Before publishing the documentary, Al Jazeera is said to have contacted President Akufo-Addo over the allegations spewed by Matthias in a letter dated April 2.
The President, through his lawyer, replied in a letter dated April 11 to deny the allegations.
In the said letter, he also requested details to attest to the allegation that he provided legal representation to Matthias and particulars on the $100 million contract awarded but the international media giant failed to provide them and yet proceeded to air the allegations as part of the documentary.
Demand For Withdrawal, Apology And Retraction
“At the end of the documentary, a terse text was shown contradicting the content of the documentary. Additionally, the subject of the documentary, Mr Allistair Matthias, denied what he said in the documentary to Al Jazeera’s investigative journalists.
“In light of these blatant denials by Mr Allistair Matthias and response from Mr Essuman, those part of the documentary ought not to have been included because those statements were not true,” a letter from the Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, dated April 25 and addressed to Al Jazeera noted.
According to the Jubilee House, the documentary is a malicious, defamatory and calculated attempt to soil the reputation of the President.
The Media network has therefore been given up to seven days after receipt of the letter from the Presidency to withdraw the documentary, render an unqualified apology to the President and retract the allegations.
