Aliu Cries Foul

THE FORMER Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama has taken on The Enquirer newspaper for publishing what he described as a defamatory story, which was intended to harm his reputation and expose him to public hatred, ridicule and scorn.

The Enquirer, he said published the said story with reckless indifference to its veracity and in the general belief that the publication would damage his reputation.

Alhaji Aliu Mahama has through his Solicitor, O. B. Amoah, accordingly lodged a formal complaint at the National Media Commission against the editor and publishers of The Enquirer newspaper in respect of the November 6 to 8 2009 editions of the newspaper.

The said publication, which was a front page story written by Larry-Alans Dogbey with the title “CASTLE PEACOCKS WHISKED AS EX-GRATIA … Aliu Mahama & Nana Ama Kufuor Mentioned”, according to O.B. Amoah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Aburi-Nsawam, contained allegations against the former Vice President which are grossly negligent, false and malicious.

The Enquirer, the Solicitor decried, deemed it fit to believe the falsehood and infantile conjecture of one Awudu Karim who is said to be the Assistant Farm Overseer at the Castle Gardens that 53 peacocks could not be traced at the Castle by 7th January, 2009 and that “Alhaji Aliu Mahama and his ADC took away many of the ornamental birds without asking anybody”.

Mr. Amoah insisted that his client has not taken or instructed any person to take any peacocks from the Castle Gardens, or anywhere in the Castle, to his residence.

“I am instructed to state that the three peacocks found at the residence of Alhaji Mahama belong to him and at the hearing at the Commission evidence will be led to prove how the former Vice-President acquired them almost four years ago”, Hon. Amoah disclosed.

To protect the hard-won reputation and right of Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Hon. Amoah is asking the Media Commission to arbitrate and initiate disciplinary measures against The Enquirer, and to demand from the editor of the paper a retraction and apology to the former Vice President for the unprofessional, false and libelous publication.

Entreating the Commission to treat the complaint with the urgency it deserves, he further demanded an undertaking from the editor and publishers of The Enquirer not to publish such false and libelous statements against Alhaji Aliu Mahama again and any other relief or reliefs the Commission may deem fit.

By Awudu Mahama