Court Orders Arrest Of Asantehene's Secretary

An Accra Fast Track High Court presided over by His Lordship Justice V.D. Ofoe on Wednesday, February 25, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr Yaw Annor, Private Secretary to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to appear before the Court at the next adjourned date Tuesday, March 2.

The order was made after an application by Mr Kweku Paintsil, solicitor appearing for Messrs Akwasi Mensah, Ben Ephson and Allied News Limited, defendants in a defamation suit brought against them by the Mamponghene Daasebre Osei Bonsu II. Mr. Annor had been subpoenaed by Mr Paintsil to give evidence on behalf of the defendants in the suit, in particular, to bring to the Court a copy of a petition entitled ?Petition against Gross Injustice and Fraud by Nana Osei Bonsu II Mamponghene.?

On the last adjourned date of the Court on February 18, Mr Annor sent a representative to represent him in the proceedings.

However, objection was raised by Mr. Paintsil on the grounds that the representative may not be able to depose to certain matters which are within the personal knowledge of Mr Annor. He therefore prayed the Court for an adjournment for Mr Annor to appear personally before the Court on Wednesday, February 25, to tender the said petition, which the Mamponghene, in his evidence has emphatically stated does not exist. At the Court?s sitting on Wednesday, February 25, Mr Annor failed to appear the second time in a row, without any explanation. After ascertaining that there was proof of service on him (beside the court?s own request to his representative to inform him to appear before the Court without fail), the judge issued a bench warrant to compel his attendance at the Court at the next adjournment hearing of the case on Tuesday, March 2.

The Mamponghene had sued for defamation over a story published in the April 9, 2003 issue of The Daily Dispatch. The story was based on petition to the Asantehene, alleging gross injustice and fraud on the part of the Mamponghene for receiving US$30,000 (then ?264 million) from one Mrs. Rosina Mensah, in exchange for making her a queenmother, which the Omanhene failed to do.