Private Legal Practitioner, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw, has filed a lawsuit against NDC Communicator, Alhaji Naziru Mohammed for defamation and for denting his professional career.

Lawyer Maurice Ampaw filed a writ of summons at the Accra High Court on January 10, 2013.

The writ issued is to commence an action against Alhaji Naziru, a staunch member of the ruling National Democratic Congress’ Communication team, to provide substantial evidence to back allegations he leveled against his personality during the “Ghana Decides” programme on Okay FM.

Alhaji Naziru made disparaging remarks about the character of Lawyer Ampaw, insisting that he (Lawyer Ampaw) had been motivated by the opposition New Patriotic Party to review the Supreme Court ruling which involved the party leaders and the Electoral Commission.

The NPP leaders had petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn the votes cast for President John Dramani Mahama during the 2012 general elections, but the nine-member panel who sat on the case ruled in favour of the President.

The plaintiff, Mr. Ampaw, a practicing lawyer for the past 13 years, was engaged by a television network in the capital as its official legal analyst to explain the Election Petition hearing to the understanding of the ordinary Ghanaian.

In view of this, the plaintiff, after his delivery on the final verdict, was also confronted by numerous calls from the public to expound the verdict.

He therefore toured the 10 regions as part of his social responsibility, educating the masses about the verdict and in scrutinizing the judgement, noted that some judges used offensive and harsh words in writing their statements of judgement to the petitioners.

Following his observations, the NDC Communicator in a quick riposte referred Lawyer Ampaw as a liar and further labeled him a “political fornicator.”

“…I speak on authority of what I know and that is, the work and report the lawyer has brought is not fairly independently done…I have heard him on the same platform that the NPP sent him to do the work; I challenge him to deny if he did not receive any assistance from NPP Executives and used their branded vehicles when he conducted his research in Cape Coast,” he contended.

He further asserted that he would expose the “political fornication” of the legal practitioner should he fail to summon him in court.

“…Maurice Ampaw has little or no idea the person he is dealing with called Alhaji Mohammed Naziru. I am telling him that after the two weeks ultimatum, if I don’t see any action against me then the third week will mean the end of his political fornication in this country…..if his two weeks ultimatum expires without any action, he should be prepared to face the end of his political fornication; the expose’ I will give to Ghanaians about him will end his political fornication…I will collide his head right now with the NPP and Hon. Ken Agyapong”, he dared.

Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has carried out the legal action in a bid to redeem his reputation.

In the writ filed by Lawyer Ampaw, the court has ordered Alhaji Naziru to appear before it within “eight days” and further stated that should he default in “so doing, judgement may be given in your absence without further notice to you.”

Lawyer Ampaw is claiming a total of 200,000 cedis for the ‘damage’ done to his reputation.

“General Damage of GHC100000 against Defendant (Alhaji Naziru Mohammed) for making libelous and defamatory statement against plaintiff which was published on Peace FM online and Ghana Web on the 19th day of December, 2013 and captioned “DR. MAURICE AMPAW” is a liar, “His Report on the Judges Ruling is unfairly written to champion the course of NPP.

“An Aggravated Damage of Ghc100000 against Defendant for further publication of another defamatory and libelous statement against plaintiff by calling plaintiff a political fornicator, which was published on Peace FM online on the 7th day of January, 2014,” the writ read.

The court has also issued an order to restrain the NDC devotee from “attacking and making any defamatory statement against plaintiff with the sole aim of causing more damage to the reputation of plaintiff.”

Speaking in an interview with Peacefmonline.com, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw pledged never to withdraw the suit until justice is meted out on the case.

“He (Alhaji Nasiru) has actually tarnished my image. Trying to play politics with my work…if people like Nasiru will go out there and spill insults and defamation on persons who have respect for both the NPP and the NDC. And I’ve been very neutral and he has also dared me…So, I want him to go to court and prove his allegation.

“I have sued Naziru for 2 billion cedis and I’m not going to withdraw the suit. I want this matter to be settled at the law court. We need to stop the politics of insults, attacks on personality; let’s discuss issues and then move the nation forward.”