Ghanaian Voice faces ¢500m suit over veteran politician's alleged flirtation with NDC
Gilbert Boyefio
02/10/2006
Ga Mashie Chambers, solicitors for veteran politician J Attoh Quarshie, CEO of Africa Industries, will be taking The Ghanaian Voice, an Accra newspaper, to court over a story it did on their client, according to the law firm.
The Voice had alleged that the veteran politician was flirting with the NDC.
Nii Amponsah Dadzie, who is representing the veteran politician in court, told The Statesman Friday that his team will be suing the paper for libel seeking ¢500m in damages "as a lesson to all mischievous and mercenary reporters who think they can make money off the sweat of decent people by publishing trash."
"Attoh Quarshie is not the kind of personality any reporter can malign and get away with," he cautioned. "We will teach The Ghanaian Voice a lesson it will never forget. Whoever is behind that publication will surface when we push them against the wall in the coming weeks and when we do it, nobody must attempt to negotiate a retraction or apology or out-of-court settlement, we will not accept it, the lessons of irresponsible journalism must be harshly taught once and for all," he warned.
The Ghanaian Voice, in its September 20, 2006 edition, ran a front page story accusing the veteran politician of "presently flirting with the National Democratic Congress".
Mr Dadzie told The Statesman the said story has tarnished the hard-won image and reputation of his client among his party colleagues, friends, relations and sympathisers in Ghana and other parts of the world, and has no choice but to seek legal redress.
According to him, that is the only way his client would be appeased.
In The Voice story, Mr Quarshie was purported to have contacted the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, seeking a meeting with the party chairman, Kwabena Adjei, and Women Organiser, Ama Benyiwa Doe.
It further went on to state that the planned meeting will either take place in Ghana or Great Britain, where the NPP strong man commutes periodically.
Mr Dadzie described The Voice story as baseless and mischievous.
"My client has neither been in touch with the NDC, has never had General Mosquito as his link to the NDC, nor has he any plans to meet anybody from the NDC fold as the story seems to portray", he added.
Also speaking to The Statesman Friday, Mr Quarshie said he arrived at the decision to go to court after consultations with friends and party colleagues.
"I have consulted friends and colleagues, including the former Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey, and there is a huge consensus that we go to court. I have never spoken to any reporter from The Ghanaian Voice."
"Where did they meet myself and those people discussing my supposed defection? Me, joining the NDC?"
02/10/2006
Ga Mashie Chambers, solicitors for veteran politician J Attoh Quarshie, CEO of Africa Industries, will be taking The Ghanaian Voice, an Accra newspaper, to court over a story it did on their client, according to the law firm.
The Voice had alleged that the veteran politician was flirting with the NDC.
Nii Amponsah Dadzie, who is representing the veteran politician in court, told The Statesman Friday that his team will be suing the paper for libel seeking ¢500m in damages "as a lesson to all mischievous and mercenary reporters who think they can make money off the sweat of decent people by publishing trash."
"Attoh Quarshie is not the kind of personality any reporter can malign and get away with," he cautioned. "We will teach The Ghanaian Voice a lesson it will never forget. Whoever is behind that publication will surface when we push them against the wall in the coming weeks and when we do it, nobody must attempt to negotiate a retraction or apology or out-of-court settlement, we will not accept it, the lessons of irresponsible journalism must be harshly taught once and for all," he warned.
The Ghanaian Voice, in its September 20, 2006 edition, ran a front page story accusing the veteran politician of "presently flirting with the National Democratic Congress".
Mr Dadzie told The Statesman the said story has tarnished the hard-won image and reputation of his client among his party colleagues, friends, relations and sympathisers in Ghana and other parts of the world, and has no choice but to seek legal redress.
According to him, that is the only way his client would be appeased.
In The Voice story, Mr Quarshie was purported to have contacted the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, seeking a meeting with the party chairman, Kwabena Adjei, and Women Organiser, Ama Benyiwa Doe.
It further went on to state that the planned meeting will either take place in Ghana or Great Britain, where the NPP strong man commutes periodically.
Mr Dadzie described The Voice story as baseless and mischievous.
"My client has neither been in touch with the NDC, has never had General Mosquito as his link to the NDC, nor has he any plans to meet anybody from the NDC fold as the story seems to portray", he added.
Also speaking to The Statesman Friday, Mr Quarshie said he arrived at the decision to go to court after consultations with friends and party colleagues.
"I have consulted friends and colleagues, including the former Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey, and there is a huge consensus that we go to court. I have never spoken to any reporter from The Ghanaian Voice."
"Where did they meet myself and those people discussing my supposed defection? Me, joining the NDC?"
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