Bagnaba van-Gogh
Lawyers for the General Manager (Field Operations) of BOST, Bagnaba van-Gogh, have served notice that they could take legal action against some media houses that have published unsubstantiated stories that are defamatory in nature against him.
There are media publications duelling on allegations of wrongdoing generally by depot managers of BOST in 2013, which were investigated by a committee.
The stories without any evidence suggested that the report was hidden by certain individuals who have been implicated by it and went on to allegedly name the GM as one of them.
But his lawyer, Samson Lardy Anyenini, in a caution statement issued to the media houses, has cautioned them to “refrain from misreading, misinterpretation or misuse of a purported investigative report to deliberately discredit and maliciously injure” Mr. van-Gogh’s reputation.
It states that, “An investigative committee inquired into allegations of wrongdoing generally by depot managers of BOST in 2013. Our client, depot manager in charge of Accra Plains at the time, was among several others who attended upon the committee. No official report was issued to him about any wrongdoing on his part and he was never the subject of any disciplinary sanctions as a result of the inquiry or anytime thereafter.”
It continues that Mr. van-Gogh has become aware, unofficially, of the purported report which the stories references “and takes a serious view of the seeming sponsored complained conduct in reckless disregard for due process, ethical and responsible journalism.”
The caution statement pointed out that as APD Manager, the procedural protocol at BOST will show that Mr. van-Gogh would not have the mandate to direct or control some of the things attributed to him in the stories, adding that the records will also show that he may have incurred the displeasure of some persons as he performed his official duties.
It further placed on record that the Mr. van-Gogh has for over two decades served the GNPC and BOST respectively with integrity, deploying his professional and peculiar technical knowledge and skills to give his utmost for the ultimate financial and strategic national benefit.
The statement therefore warned the media houses to refrain from further publishing the defamatory stories or face the legal consequences.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak