General News of Monday, 8 July 2019
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2019-07-08Oslo scandal:Foreign Minister to sue Africawatch magazine over defamation
Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Minister for foreign affairs
The Minister for foreign affairs and Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has obtained leave from the high court presided over by justice Samuel Asiedu to issue and serve notice of a writ of summon out of the jurisdiction on Africawatch magazine over a defamatory publication accusing her of inflating over 16 million dollars in the Oslo scandal.
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The Africawatch magazine made this publication in its June edition cover with the caption “Ghana exclusive: the inside story if the Oslo sacndal conspiracy to steal, Ayokor Botchwey’s lies exposed, Nana Akufi-Addo’s defence falls flat. This publication according to the plaintiff intends to tarnish her hard won reputation, the reason she has decided to sue the Africawatch magazine and its editor for defamation.
In December 2018, it was reported that the ministry of foreign affairs had inflated the price of a building it supposedly bought in Oslo, Norway for use as Ghana’s embassy.
The property, according to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is a ranking member for the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament was purchased at a cost of $12.1 million instead of $3.5million. The foreign Minister later indicated that the said property is yet to be purchased and that discussions are still underway after the Minority accused her of inflating the figures of the property.
However in June 2019, the Africawatch published a story regarding the said issue on its cover page accusing the minister of conspiring to steal. The minister has therefore sued the African Watch Magazine and it’s the editor who resides in the United States for defamation.
A part of the suit stated: “The defendants’ suggestion that I have inflated the cost of the property without any shred of correlative evidence to that effect amounts to an imputation of crime and same is defamatory of my character”.
“The defamatory statement that I have conspired to steal from the state when a reading of the entire article does not show how I conspired to steal from the state amounts to imputation of crime and same is defamatory”.
The plaintiff who was represented by Gary Nimako requested for leave of court to issue and serve notice to the defendants out of the jurisdiction which was granted by the court.
The defendants are expected to file their defense within 14 days. Foreign Minister sues Africa watch over defamation
The Minister for foreign affairs and Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has sued Africawatch magazine over a defamatory story in its magazine accusing her of inflating of over 16 million dollars in the Oslo scandal.
The Africawatch magazine made this publication in its June edition cover with the caption “Ghana exclusive: the inside story if the Oslo sacndal conspiracy to steal, Ayokor Botchwey’s lies exposed, Nana Akufi-Addo’s defence falls flat. This publication according to the plaintiff intends to tarnish her hard won reputation, the reason she has decided to sue the Africawatch magazine and its editor for defamation.
In December 2018, it was reported that the ministry of foreign affairs had inflated the price of a building it supposedly bought in Oslo, Norway for use as Ghana’s embassy.
The property, according to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is a ranking member for the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament was purchased at a cost of $12.1 million instead of $3.5million. The foreign Minister later indicated that the said property is yet to be purchased and that discussions are still underway after the Minority accused her of inflating the figures of the property.
However in June 2019, the Africawatch published a story regarding the said issue on its cover page accusing the minister of conspiring to steal. The minister has, therefore, sued the African Watch Magazine and it’s the editor who resides in the United States for defamation.
A part of the suit stated: “The defendants’ suggestion that I have inflated the cost of the property without any shred of correlative evidence to that effect amounts to imputation of crime and same is defamatory of my character”.
“The defamatory statement that I have conspired to steal from the state when a reading of the entire article does not show how I conspired to steal from the state amounts to imputation of crime and same is defamatory”.
The plaintiff who was represented by Gary Nimako requested for leave of court to issue and serve notice to the defendants out of the jurisdiction which was granted by the court.
The defendants are expected to file their defense within 14 days.
