A Deputy Minister for Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, has sued the publishers of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, its editor-in-chief, Kwaku Baako Jnr. and a journalist, Frank Amponsah, for allegedly associating her with a demolition carried out at Roman Ridge in Accra in October 2021.
The deputy minister said the publication, headlined, “Dubai Embassy Demolishing Spree, Minister, and husband fingered,” was malicious.
The said publication was said to have first gone to press with the allegations that the property in question was demolished by the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly because they believed it belonged to former president John Mahama.
Madam Osei-Asare said the journalist, Frank Amponsah, had met with the lawyer [her husband] who gave the journalist full access to all the court documents and facts relating to the case, which started in the year 2002 and judgment given in 2015.
The land in question was the subject of a judgment of the High Court granted in the year 2015 in favour of the owner, Frank Nuamah against three persons, namely Adjei Darko, Francis Don Lartey, and Alhaji Adams.
The said Frank Nuamah was put in possession of the property when the court went into execution in May 2016, and he has been in possession since that date.
The judgment has not been appealed against by any of the defendants in the case.
A later attempt by the said Alhaji Adams to have the judgment set aside was shot down by the High Court in a judgment by Her Ladyship Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe (Mrs.) in November 2020.
The demolition was carried out by the owner who has been in possession since May 2016, and who has no relation at all to the said Deputy Minister.
By her writ, Mrs. Osei-Asare is asking for damages for defamation and a retraction and apology from the publishers.
