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General News of Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Source: GNA

Case of defamation of ex-president referred to A-G

Accra, Jan. 20, GNA - The Police on Tuesday said a duplicate docket in the case of the student of the University of Cape Coast who was apprehended for distributing alleged defamatory publications about ex-president John Agyekum Kufuor and 24 other former ministers on alleged secret bank accounts has now been sent to the Attorney-General's Office for advice.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim said this on Tuesday when the case was called before an Accra Circuit Court hearing the matter.

Charged with publishing false news intent to cause fear and alarm and possessing forged documents, Paulina Ampomah pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with justification.

The court therefore adjourned the matter to February 24.

Prosecution earlier told the court that, on December 6, security agencies had information that, Paulina was distributing printed seditious materials to the public at Assin Fosu, which was defaming President Kufuor and the 24 ministers of state.

The prosecution said the Police therefore mounted surveillance and apprehended her as she was giving out copies of the printed materials to a witness in the case.

After Paulina's arrest, a search conducted in her car with registration number GE 6546 W, had 138 copies of bank statements purported to have been obtained from Prudential Bank bearing the name of the President and the ministers with various sums of money lodged in them.

The money was alleged to have been stolen from government coffers. When the accused was questioned over the materials she admitted ownership but failed to inform the Police of the source.