General News of Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Source: Peace FM online
The former special assistant to former president Rawlings and Editor in chief of the “Weekly Standard” newspaper, Victor Smith, has dared president John Agyekum Kufour to go ahead and drag him to court.
Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show today Mr. Smith said, “This has always been my stand from day one, to go court and prove my case. So what is new?".
Reacting to a press statement issued by the President’s press secretary Mr. Andrew Awuni, stating categorically that president Kufour had instructed his personal legal advisor and lawyer J. K. A. Agyekum to start processing documents to summon Mr. Smith to come and substantiate the allegation leveled against him in a court of justice.
In the press release the President also stated that the story carried by the “Weekly Standard” newspaper was all false allegations.
When the story first came out, President Kufour gave the paper a two week ultimatum for Mr. Smith to retract or apologize to the President but Mr. Smith and his paper turned a deaf ear to the ultimatum. When Kwami Sefa Kayi asked Mr. Smith to give details of the alleged oil dealings between president Kufour and the unknown Kuwaiti company, Mr. Smith said he was not ready to discuss the issue on air.
“If he says he is going to court he should go to court and I will present my evidence in court. If he has instructed his lawyer, I have also spoken to my lawyers. So let’s go to court” Mr. Smith blatantly dared President Kufour. However, Mr. Smith’s paper “The Weekly Standard” has described the press statement as just a time buying gimmick. Asked if he was aware of the publication, Mr. Smith said he was out of town on campaign a trip, so he was yet to read exactly what the paper published today.