NPP Guru Sues Newspaper


New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) Director of Elections, Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, has sued Prime Mark Company Limited, publishers of The Herald newspaper – one of the pro-National Democratic Congress tabloids – for libel.

Mr. Adjei-Mensah Korsah, who citef Herald’s rditor, Larry Alans-Dogbey, as the second defendant, is demanding a GH¢1.5 million as general damages.

The plaintiff claims in the writ of summons that a story written by Larry Alans-Dogbey and published in the paper on Friday, February 21 – Sunday, February 23 2014 edition, with the banner headline: ‘NPP cash ‘stealers’ revealed,’ was ‘libelous and defamatory of the plaintiff.’

Apart from the GH¢1.5 million being sought, the plaintiff wants a declaration directed at the defendants to publish ‘unconditional retraction of the story and an unconditional apology’ to the plaintiff.

Furthermore, the plaintiff wants the retraction to be carried ‘in seven (7) issues of The Herald newspaper’ within a time to be stipulated by the court.

He wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their assigns from publishing the story complained of and a further relief that the court might deem fit, as well as costs.

In his statement of claim, Mr. Adjei-Mensah Korsah averred that the paper had published that he had ‘hived’ billions of Ghana Cedis belonging the NPP, for his private use; he had also built mansions from the proceeds of the campaign cash.

‘Next on the list is the current Director of Election, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, said to have built his mansion at a place called Tse Addo, near Trade Fair in Accra,’ the plaintiff quoted The Herald as publishing.

‘The young politician, who has had a clean sheet in terms of controversy since he assumed office in the largest opposition party, is said to be putting up the building – a four-storey bedroom house without anyone knowing his sources of funding,’ the plaintiff again quoted paper.

He claimed that The Herald had said, ‘Indeed, insiders said they have no idea what other activity Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah does for a living apart from work. His beautiful house has a brown roof and is already painted cream.’

The plaintiff said in their plain and ordinary meaning, the defendants were saying that he joined the NPP’s presidential aspirant’s campaign team because of his (plaintiff’s) parochial and personal gains.

He said The Herald also meant that the campaign funds were entrusted into his care and he squandered them, adding that the publication meant he did not have any personal or independent means of putting up a building.

According to the plaintiff, the building The Herald referred to was started in 2007 when he held no position in the NPP, and moved in with his family in October 2009 – also at a time when he held no position in the party, while describing the publication as false, actuated by malice.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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