Court punches Kasapa Telecom

An Accra High court has asked directors of Kasapa Telecom including its Managing Director Robert Palitz to refrain from holding themselves out as directors of the company.

The court also ruled that the telecommunications company should no longer be referred to as Kasapa Telecom but Celltel as it was originally known. The ruling however contradicts another High Court ruling affirming Robert Palitz as Managing Director.

In his ruling, Justice Victor Ofoe said the appointment of Mr Palitz and the chief finance officer as directors of Kasapa was not properly done and was therefore null and void. Also, an Accra law firm Bentsi Enchil and Co. has been restrained from holding itself out as secretary for Kasapa.

The judge however asked that the actions of the said directors should be allowed to stand since nullifying them would have far reaching implications.

Kludjeson International Limited, original owners of Celltel; the company that eventually became known as Kasapa Telecom had filed the suit seeking to remove Robert Palitz and his management team.

Founder of the company, Mr Prince Kofi Kludjeson said Mr Palitz and his board failed to recognise him as a shareholder.

Speaking to Joy News, he said the ruling represents victory for the indigenous Ghanaian entrepreneur.

“For we the indigenous Ghanaian businessmen that are striving to put the economy forward in our own small way; the lack of equity, money and protection make us suffer… The most important thing for me today is a vindication of myself, my family and the vision that we have set,” he said.

Mr Kludjeson said at the moment he is thinking about ways of strategizing to develop the “Ghanaian Telecommunication” to cover the entire nation.

Meanwhile, Mr Palitz has vowed to appeal the ruling.

The heart of the matter is the recognition of Mr Kludjeson as a 20 percent shareholder and a director of Kasapa.

But Mr Palitz told Joy News that Mr Kludjeson ceased to be a shareholder several years ago.

“Mr Kludjeson lost his shares in Kasapa in January 2005 because he violated the shareholder agreement,” he mentioned.