MPs sue Gabby, Adom FM for one billion

Accra, May 17, GNA - Two National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament have sued Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Editor-in-Chief of the Statesman, Adom FM a Multi Media Broadcasting Company for libel claiming one billion cedis in damages.

In a suit filed at the Accra High Court on May 16, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, MP for Ningo/Prampram and Mr Doe Adjaho, MP for Ave Avenor are seeking "perpetual injunction restraining the defendants together and each and every one of them with their agents, assigns and servants from further publishing or cause to be published the said or similar words. The plaintiffs are also seeking a retraction of the said defamatory statements of the defendants with an equal prominence with which the original defamatory statements were made.

Bram-Larbi, Beecham and co. filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs.

The suit stems from an alleged assassination plot against Mr Haruna Iddrisu, NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale South, which was published in newspapers last week.

The plaintiffs are complaining about alleged statements that Mr Otchere-Darko made on an Adom FM programme "Dwaso Nsem" on the alleged assassination plot.

The plaintiffs noted that conspiracy is a crime under Ghanaian law "with devastating dire consequences" and said the publication and statements were "calculated to cause hatred, disparage, ridicule and injure the plaintiffs' hard earned reputation and that of their families".

"In consequence the plaintiffs' reputation, both personal and as politicians and public officers, has been seriously injured and they have suffered considerable distress and embarrassment as a result of the said publication," the suit said.