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14.01.2016 Headlines

Ibrahim Mahama Asked Not To Sit Through Court Proceedings

By Issah Alhassan
Ibrahim MahamaIbrahim Mahama
14.01.2016 LISTEN

The brother of Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, who has sued the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako, for defamation, was asked to leave the courtroom of the Kumasi High Court by a presiding judge after one of his witnesses mounted the dock to give testimony.

The presiding judge, Justice Edward Apenkwah, asked the brother of the President, Ibrahim Mahama, to leave the courtroom during sitting today after a reporter working with Prime Radio, the radio station that reportedly aired the statement that contained the said defamation.

But the Counsel for Mr. Mahama, Charles Zwennes, disagreed with the court, insisting that it was not the first time his client had been in the courtroom whilst evidence was being given in court.

Justice Apenkwah stated that it was not proper for the plaintiff to be around when his witness is giving a testimony, even though he had allowed it in previous hearings.

Despite strong protest from Counsel for the Plaintiff, the presiding judge insisted he would not allow Mr. Mahama to sit through proceedings, leaving the business mogul with no option but to walk out of the courtroom.

This was after a reporter with Prime FM in Accra, the station that recorded the alleged defamatory statement, mounted the dock to be cross-examined by Counsel for Mr. Antwi Boasiako, Lawyer Egbert Fabille.

This is the second time the court has ordered Mr. Mahama to leave the premises whilst evidence was being given.

During cross-examination, Lawyer Fabille challenged the credibility of the witness who initially told the court that she was the news editor of Prime FM when in actual fact she is only a reporter working with the radio station.

The court has subsequently adjourned the case to February 8 and 9 for continuation of hearing.

Mr. Mahama has sued the Ashanti Regional NPP chairman for allegedly defaming him during a public forum at Obuasi in 2014 when Mr. Antwi Boasiako, was said to have accused the President and his brother of siphoning public funds for their personal aggrandisement and also impoverishing ordinary Ghanaians with harsh economic conditions.

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