Lawyers for Ghanaian transgender musician Angel Maxine have stated that their client will not retract or apologise over allegations made against Assin South MP Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.
The decision follows a legal demand by the MP, who gave the musician a seven-day ultimatum to withdraw the claims or face a lawsuit.
The controversy stems from a viral social media post in which Angel Maxine allegedly claimed the MP is gay and had a relationship with her, an allegation he has firmly denied.
In a response dated April 27, legal firm Merton & Everett LLP argued that their client’s comments were made within the bounds of satire and political commentary.
“Our client has taken note of the concerns raised in your letter. She has also issued a public statement in her own name addressing the context and purpose of the videos complained of,” the lawyers stated.
The MP, through his lawyers at Nkrumah & Associates, had earlier described the claims as defamatory, insisting he has never met nor had any form of interaction with the musician.
His legal team noted that the allegations were false, damaging and had exposed him to public ridicule, demanding an immediate retraction and apology.
However, Angel Maxine’s lawyers contend that the statements were not intended to be factual claims but rather commentary on a matter of public interest, particularly the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, which the MP supports.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our client will not be issuing the retraction and apology demanded. She reserves all her rights in this matter,” the response added.
They further argued that as a public officer, Rev. Ntim Fordjour must expect scrutiny and criticism, especially on issues tied to legislation he champions.
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Comments
When a claim is false, it is very easy to know that. I know that Angel's claim is true; the reason I commented that the big mistake Ntim Fordjour made was taking that case to court to threaten him or her. Now, imagine the direction this case is now. "If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones, Fordjour."