The Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North Constituency, Andy Appiah- Kubi has sued the Assembly Member for the Obuasi Electoral Area, Hon. Enoch Sarfo Asiedu for defamation.
The former Deputy Minister for Railways is seeking GHc1 million in damages as well as an order for injuring his reputation.
The statement of claim, dated May 12, 2023 and filed by Kwasi Asokwa-Boateng of Appiah-Kubi & Associates of Nhyira Chambers avers that the defendant on Friday April 12, 2023 the defendant contributed on Salt FM programme hosted by Mr. Samuel Owiredu Acheampong in which he (defendant) defamed him (Andy Appiah Kubi), the plaintiff by the use of unpalatable words in Twi.
According to the claims, the defendant alleged that documents available at the District Assembly indicate that the Plaintiff charged and collected about GHc60,000 on fuel from the Assembly.
The claim also cites an incident in which the defendant accused the MP of having taken an amount of GHc120,000 being public funds as payment for seedlings donated by the Bosome Freho District Assembly for free.
The Member of Parliament, in his statement of claim, said the “defendant was actuated by malice by the use of such unpalatable words against him” on the said SALT FM Radio, a local radio station in Agogo programme.
The Plaintiff claimed that “accusing him of collecting GHc60,000 from the Municipal Assembly to compensate for personal transportation has lowered his standing and image in the estimation of right-thinking members of the Ghanaian society and in particular citizens of Asante Akim constituency.”
The MP claims he has lost a lot of grounds in his quest to hold himself as MP for the area and further contended that by reason of the defamatory statements he has lost a lot of grounds in his quest to hold himself as the Member of Parliament for the Asante Akim North Constituency, and a future candidate for his Political Party for the December 2024 General Elections, as some potential voters are shunning his company by reason of such derogatory and defamatory remarks.
According to him, his bid to stand re-election is at risk as some potential voters are shunning his company.
The plaintiff is therefore seeking a declaration by the court that the statements published by the defendant are defamatory and tendered to lower his image and standing.
He is also seeking an order of the court to compel the defendant to retract the defamatory statements uttered on the station with apology.
