The Lens dragged to court for defamation

Accra, June 24, GNA - Mr Mustapha Ahmed, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Youth Organiser, has dragged the Editor and Publisher of "The Lens", an Accra-based weekly newspaper, to an Accra High Court for defamation. Also joined in the suit are Mr Owusu Achimpim, alias Kwadwo Owusu of Accra and Nana Yaa Prempeh, a Reporter.

In a suit filed by Nana Obiri Boahen, a Sunyani-based Lawyer, Mr Ahmed is seeking from the court a perpetual injunction on the defendants and costs. Mr Ahmed is further seeking the order of the Court to compel the defendants to publish the retraction of the defamatory publication in the Daily Graphic, Dispatch, Statesman, among other newspaper for seven consecutive days. He said Mr Achimpim made the allegation in the publication reported by Nana Yaa Prempeh.

The Mr Ahmed said in the paper's issue Number 42 of May 18-25, 2004, it published an article: "More Revelation on NPP's Rigging Project." He noted that the publication was not only libellous and defamatory but also baseless saying it portrayed him as a fraudster, cheat, truant and irresponsible nation wrecker.

The Youth Organiser said there was no truth in the said publication. He said the publication had tarnished his image in the eyes of right thinking men within the community that he lived in and it had lowered his reputation.