In a suit sighted Citi News, Mr. Agyapong is asking the court to compel Chairman Wontumi to retract claims to the effect that the suspended executive plotted to ensure the NPP’s defeat in the 2016 election.

He is also seeking GHc 400,000 in damages.

Chairman Wontumi did not respond favorably to an earlier letter from Mr. Agyapong’s lawyers demanding an apology for the comments.

Mr. Agyapong had said he wanted the retraction “via the same medium [Nhyira FM] used in making them thus through the frequency modulation of the second defendant and to render an unqualified apology to the plaintiff via the same media.”

Mr. Agyapong also requested an apology letter from Chairman Wontumi “admitting his comments were untrue and unfortunate, and given his tacit commitment never again to spew such falsehood and scandalous defamatory remarks on the person of the plaintiff.”

The NPP suspended its 2nd Vice Chairman, Sammy Crabbe, alongside Mr. Agyapong in 2015, after they were accused of publicly rebelling against the party’s decision to indefinitely suspend its National Chairman, Paul Afoko.

This suit comes at a time some persons and groups have been campaigning for the reinstatement of Mr. Kwabena Agyapong.

It is unclear whether this court action will in anyway affect a possible reinstatement, considering the popularity of Chairman Wontumi within the NPP.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kwabena Agyapong sues Wontumi; demands GHc400,000 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Joined to the suit is Kencity Media limited, a company that manages Oman FM and Net2 TV, all owned by Kennedy Agyapong and the Deputy Executive Director of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Afia Akoto.

Senyo Hosi is demanding GHc 5 million from Kennedy Agyapong, GHc3 million from Kencity and GHc1 million from Afia Akoto.

The CBOD boss explained that, Kennedy Agyapong, who is also the Member of Parliament for Assin Central in the Central Region, made some defamatory comments against him on several media Houses including his own Oman FM, Net 2 and on Accra-based Asempa FM.

He added that, Afia Akoto also reiterated similar comments against him on some media platforms.

Lawyers of Mr. Hosi subsequently wrote to Kennedy Agyapong and Afia Akoto advising them to retract and apologize for the comments the lawyers say were “outright falsehood,” but it seems the advice was ignored.

Senyo Hosi has thus sued them praying the court to uphold that the comments were defamatory and have “gravely injured” his reputation hence the defendants must be made to retract, apologize and compensate him.

Mr. Agyapong alleged on Oman FM that Mr Hosi attempted to bribe the Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) with $1million to enable him buy the contentious 5 million litres of contaminated fuel sold to an unregistered oil firm, Movenpiina and Zup Oil.

Senyo Hosi in his writ quoted Kennedy Agyapong of saying: “…The man was promised one million dollars, he didn’t take it…It is rather the one million dollars people who were going to do the contamination thing…I don’t know that Hosi whoever Senyo [is] but I have all this evidence against them…If that guy is on it [the committee], if they bring any report, nobody will accept it because for someone who has gone to offer one million dollars…How can Boakye Agyarko the minister involve him…that guys should be thrown out completely…He should question the quy and let him face me.”

Mr. Hosi further quoted Kennedy Agyapong speaking on Asempa FM to have said: “…Again the bombshell in it is that this guy, his name is in my thing, he is called Yoosi something something, I have a difficulty pronouncing his name.”

According to Mr. Agyapong, Senyo Hosi had tried to bribe Alfred Obeng Boateng so that the controversial sale of the off-spec oil would be overturned in his (Hosi’s) favour.

Lawyers for Mr. Hosi denied the claim, saying ” Our client, for the avoidance of doubt, wishes to place on record that your said allegations are completely false and that he has never been offered or offered to buy or engage in any transaction of a commercial nature with the BOST, its CEO, any of its officers or third-parties however described.”

Below is the reliefs sought by Senyo Hosi:

• An order for an unconditional retraction and an unqualified apology for the said defamatory comments/broadcast/publication, doing so separately and in the Daily Graphic newspapers, and for same to be given equal prominence as the complained comments/broadcast/publication within 14 days from the day of judgment.
• An order that the contents of relief (i) above be subject to the prior approval of plaintiff, and for defendants to personally and separately read out same on all media networks mentioned in paragraphs 7 and 15 above and doing so within 14 days from the day of judgment.
• An order of perpetual injunction restraining defendants from any further comments of said complained defamation.
• General damages for defamation.
• Aggravated or exemplary damages for the malicious defamation.
• Compensatory damages of GHc5, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 1 defendant.
• Compensatory damages of GHc3, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 2 defendants.
• Compensatory damages of GHc1, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 3 defendants.
• Costs, including legal fees.
• Further or other reliefs.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Defamation: Senyo Hosi sues Ken Agyapong for GHc8m appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

David Apasara and thirty-nine other former MPs under the erstwhile Kufuor administration, have sued the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Finance over the issue, demanding at least GHc 233,495 each as pension.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6dtGrvZ4f4nderxEHnjfmVAFQAWINzBM”]Among the plaintiffs are the Senior Minister in the Nana Akufo-Addo administration, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the acting New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, Freddie Blay and Kwamena Bartels.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Apasara said the suit is justifiable since they had served the nation and should therefore be rewarded.

“We have served the nation…A committee of five persons under Chinery Hessey went into the matter and told us the amount that will be paid us if we serve two consecutive terms and we have served two consecutive terms, we have served the nation and we therefore qualify for pension. We are not being inconsiderate. We are claiming what is legitimate.”

Mr. Apasara said the demands are not borne out of a desire to make wealth wrongly, saying “Some of us really worked for the state at a very early stage . I started as a revolutionary cadre and my aim was not to make wealth for myself. I was thinking about how to serve the nation and that is why I got into revolutionary politics so not everyone is thinking of getting something through politics.”

He clarified that their demands have become extremely necessary since some MPs are currently not receiving pension from any source.

“We are not paid anything as pension. We might have been making contributions to SSNIT, but not all of us had the opportunity of serving in areas where we would have pension to ourselves.”

The initial lump sum was said to be GHc 13,735 per plaintiff, but interest accrued on the amount from January 2009 to February 2016 raises the amount to GHc 233,495.

That would mean government would have to give out almost GHc 10 million to settle the former MPs. The plaintiff’s claim is anchored on one of the recommendations by the Chinery-Hesse Committee Report, which says that persons who exited Parliament, having served two full term periods and are above 50 years, should be paid some sums of money as pension benefits.

Among the other reliefs, the disgruntled former MPs are also praying the court refund their legal bills.  The former MPs have since 2011 been negotiating with government regarding the pensions, but the attempts to have their demands met have not yielded results.

Find below the list of former MPs

1. David Apasera
2. Dr. Charles Brempong-Yeboah
3. Francis Aggrey Agbotese
4. Nii Adu Daku Mante
5. Kwame Adusa Okerchiri
6. Godfred Otchere
7. Moses Dani Baah
8. K. Brandford Adu
9. Victor Okuley Nortey
10. Yaw Barimah
11. Kwadwo Darko Adjei
12. Samuel Gyamfi Adu
13. Joseph Tsatsu Agbenu
14. Eugene Atta Agyapong
15. Abraham Osei Aidoo
16. Dr. Kwame Ampofo
17. Dr. Matthew Kwaku Antwi
18. Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku
19. Yaw Mensah Asiedu
20. Angela Baiden-Amissah
21. Kwamena Bartels
22. Freddie W.A. Blay
23. Sampson Boafo
24. Chrisitne Churcher
25. Kenneth Dzirasah
26. Isaac E. Edumadze
27. Nkrabea Effah Dartey
28. Kwame Owusu Frimpong
29. Kitson Akomeng Kissi
30. Joseph Henry Mensah
31. Mrs Anna Nyamakye
32. Albert Kwaku Obbin
33. Yaw Osafo-Maafo
34. Francis Mensah Osafo
35. Akwasi Adjei Osei
36. K. Owusu Adjapong
37. K. Opoku Adusei
38. Quarm Sam
39. Alex Sofo Seidu
40. Alhassan Malik Yakubu

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We deserve our pension cash; we served Ghana – David Apasara appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Justice Logoh filed the writ on Wednesday February 1, 2017.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Vx38gw128BeCEqsKU0aTQi2FvSkdjGCz”]While some High Court Judges out of the 22 captured in the investigative video have been suspended with other lower court judges dismissed, Justice Logo and a few others, notably Justice Paul Uter Dery, have filed a number of lawsuits seeking to annul any legal proceedings against them, and to prevent their possible removal from office.

In his latest action against the Chief Justice, Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh is questioning why the Chief Justice is going ahead to begin impeachment proceedings against him, when he has other suits pending in court in relation to his interdiction.

In response to a January 30, 2017 letter seeking his response to a petition seeking his dismissal on stated misbehaviour, Justice Logoh said he has taken steps to repair his dented image following the Tiger Eye undercover investigations which revealed how judges traded justice for money and items.

The January 30 letter or petition is a follow up to a September 15, 2015 petition, in which Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who is head of the Tiger Eye PI, requested the dismissal of Justice Logoh for abusing his position.

“You would recall that by a letter dated 9th September 2015, you requested me to respond to the same petition. I therefore instituted various actions against you, Tiger Eye PI, the then petitioner, and the Attorney General in both the High Court and notified you of same and indicated that I was unable to respond to the petition because of the pending case in court,” Justice Logo said.

“I have also filed a new suit at the Supreme Court in which I am seeking an injunctive relief against you from continuing with the said proceedings,” he added.

Justice Logoh maintains that, the cases are still pending in court and the attempt to impeach him is an exercise in contempt of court.

“I am also seeking a declaration that your conduct to proceed with the impeachment proceedings whilst there is a suit in the Supreme Court challenging your jurisdiction is contemptuous of the Supreme Court.”
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citiffmonline.com/Ghana

The post Anas’ exposé: Justice Logoh sues Chief Justice for contempt appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Confirming the latest move to Citi News’ Sixtus Dong Ullo, Mr. Ayariga said his party is also seeking interpretation of some sections of the election regulation law CI 94.

[contextly_sidebar id=”RztUIz4aJcnWl08DbTHIIUmchPce2Dy4″]“I am not going to hold this country to ransom; but I want the court to take justice. Madam Osei should prove to Ghanaians that it was a technical knockout because so far as I am aware, APC was not knocked  out based on technical issues but it was knocked out based on personal issues.”

“I think by close of day, we should get all the information relevant to the public. As a matter of fact, we are not happy. Some of you have seen the video of Madam Charlotte Osei’s remark about Hassan Ayariga. The APC is the only political party that has 275 offices across the nation and it is the only party that has been denied the opportunity to contest the elections.”

Background

Hassan Ayariga was disqualified from the race because some of the subscribers to his nomination form also endorsed other candidates for the contest.

Mr. Ayariga was disqualified together with eleven other aspirants, some of who have since been reinstated in the contest, after the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, secured a court victory that inured to the benefit of some other disqualified aspirants.

Mr. Ayariga, who broke away from the People’s National Convention (PNC) which he had led in the 2012 elections, subsequently sued the EC at the High Court, where he prayed it to order the EC to retain him in the race.

Although he won that case, the EC took the matter to the Supreme Court, after losing a similar suit against the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom.

The Supreme Court in its judgment on Monday November 7, 2016, extended the deadline for submission of nomination forms allowing the 12 disqualified presidential nominees to amend their forms.

However, Mr. Ayariga again failed to meet the requirement, and was thus denied by the EC.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Ayariga sues EC again over disqualification appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The PPP is seeking “an order of prohibition to restrain the EC from proceeding with balloting for position of presidential candidates for the 7th December elections.

The plaintiff is also seeking”…a further order directed against the 1st Respondent in her capacity as Returning Officer for Presidential elections to grant the Applicant the opportunity to amend and alter the one anomaly found in his nomination papers as well as accept his nomination papers as amended or altered to enable him contest as a Presidential Candidate for the 7th December 2016 elections.”

“And for such order or further as to this Honourable Court may deem fit.”

The suit has Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom as the exparte applicant, with Madam Charlotte Osei the EC Chairperson as the 1st Respondent, and the Electoral Commission as the 2nd Respondent.

The writ said “Hon. J. Ayikoi Otoo, Counsel for and on behalf of the applicant, will move this Honourable Court praying for an order for Judicial Review by way of Certiorari to bring to this Court the decision of the Respondents dated 10th October, 2016, which disqualified the Applicant as a Presidential Candidate for the 2016 General Elections, for purposes of having same quashed upon the grounds of… (1) Breach of the rules of natural justice (2) Error apparent on the face of the record and (3) Failing to live the requirement as imposed by law.

Dr. Nduom was disqualified together with  12 other presidential aspirants for failing to fill their forms correctly.

Prior to this  court action, Dr. Nduom had met with the EC boss to get her to rescind her decision, but the meeting ended with no hope for the renowned entrepreneur who was making a third and last attempt at the presidency.

EC was biased; Nana Addo is ‘guilty’ of perjury – PPP

The PPP has accused the Electoral Commission of bias for allowing the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akuffo-Addo, claiming he also committed the offense of perjury, hence should also not be on the ballot for the December 7 general elections.

According to the PPP, Nana Addo perpetuated criminality when he failed to declare his assets, as required by the electoral regulations, but signed an oath to affirm that he had met all the requirements when he filed his nomination.

Court clears EC to collect filing fees

This is the second court action the party has taken against the commission. In the first instance, it went to court to stop the Commission from collecting the filing fees of Ghc50,000 and Ghc10,000 for presidential and parliamentary nominees.

This was because they had a case pending before the Court, in which they had accused the EC of fixing the fees arbitrarily. However the injunction was thrown out, allowing the EC to collect the fees.

This means that substantive case is still pending at the court.
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By:Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie

The post PPP sues EC; seeks injunction on balloting of candidates appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The defendants have eight days from today [Monday] September 19, to respond to the suit.

The plaintiff is among other things, seeking a declaration that “the filing fees is arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable”.

It is also seeking a declaration that Regulation 45 of C.I. 94 is discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable.

“That the entire C.I. 94 does not contain the appropriate relevant provisions that meet the intendment of Article 296 of the 1992 Constitution.”

“A declaration that the proper instrument within the meaning of the relevant laws of the Republic of Ghana, in charging a deposit or fees for conducting a presidential or parliamentary election, by the Electoral Commission, is a statutory instrument and not constitutional instrument.”

“An order directed at the defendants to desist from collecting and or receiving the said deposit or fees for the conduct of the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections until the appropriate statutory instruments have been passed in accordance with appropriate legal rights.”

Aspirants pick nomination forms

Meanwhile some presidential aspirants have already picked the nomination forms from the EC, and will be expected to return the forms with the money.

The incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) is of the view that, the amount is acceptable, whereas the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), believe it is not in the interest of smaller parties who desire to contribute to the country’s democratic process.

EC to consider review of filing fee

The PPP’s action comes few days after the Electoral Commission said it will soon meet to consider whether or not to review amounts.

This follows the wave of bashing it received from some political parties for pegging presidential and parliamentary filing fees at GHc50, 000 and GHc10, 000 respectively; an amount they complain is too high.

Some of the parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have expressed reservations about the amount, saying it would only limit the electioneering process to a privileged few.

Speaking to Citi News earlier, the Head of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, said the commission will meet to deliberate on the way forward.

“The commission has taken notice of the concerns and that the commission will meet and decide if there is a possibility of a review and that if there is a review it will be communicated to the political parties.”

Amount to be refunded if… – EC

Mr. Dzakpasu explained that, the amount they fixed was done in accordance with the law, and as such, the monies will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund if the presidential and parliamentary candidates fail to garner 25% and 12.5% votes respectively, during the December general elections.

Parties can afford EC’s ‘high’ filing fees – Casley Hayford

Financial Analyst, Sydney Casley Hayford, has watered down suggestions that filing fees being charged by the Electoral Commission is expensive.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie

The post PPP sues EC over ‘high’ filing fees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.