Minister drags NDC members & Newspaper to court

Agona Swedru, April 25, GNA - Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, Central Regional Minister has filed a writ at the Cape Coast High Court against two executives of the Agona West constituency of the National Democratic Party for defamation of character.

The executives are Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Dawood, Agona West propaganda Secretary, who is the first defendant and Kofi Panful, 2008 Campaign Director of Agona West constituency of the party, the third defendant. Also facing similar charges were the Daily Searchlight and its publishers, Swift Media Ventures and Bambolino Restaurant in Accra, who are the second defendant.

According to a copy of the suit distributed at a press conference at Agona Swedru on Saturday, the plaintiff is seeking an order from the court for general damages award against the defendants.

In the statement of claim, the plaintiff said sometime in March 2010, the two executives caused a publication in the Searchlight newspaper that, Mr Jacob Obeng-Forson, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Agona West bought his position from the Regional Minister, Madam Benyiwa Doe for 250 million old Cedis, which was captioned "Benyiwa Doe in 250 million bribe scandal", by the paper without cross-checking from the plaintiff. The plaintiff claimed that the story, which is not true has lowered her image in the eyes of the public and therefore seeking the order of the court to compel the defendants to render an unqualified apology to her in publishing it in the dailies.

According to the suit the plaintiff is also praying the court for an, order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants from publishing any false statement against her in future. "The statement that the MCE bought the position from the plaintiff was false and incriminating", it said. 25 April 10