Sammy Awuku Sues NDC Boys GH�1m

A Deputy Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku, has sued seven individuals and media houses popularly associated with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) for peddling what he has described as a �doctored� tape of his voice. He carried through his threat to sue these individuals and media houses by filing a writ of summons at an Accra Fast Track High Court on Tuesday. In the suit, Mr. Awuku is asking for damages worth GH�1million for libel and defamation. The suit was filed by Mr. Awuku�s solicitors at the Ampem Chambers. In an Interview with DAILY GUIDE on Monday, the embattled deputy communications director hinted that the writ would be filed on Tuesday. Those caught in the dragnet of the suit include Alhasan Suhuyini- a presenter at Radio Gold, Owners of Radio Gold (Network Broadcasting Services Limited), Michael Dokosi, Daily Post newspaper, Giraffe Publications and Kobby Fiagbe of Ghanaian Lens. Sammy Awuku is also asking the High Court to place an injunction on the defendants from further publishing or circulating anything relating to the tape recording being bandied about. ��A perpetual injunction to retrain the Defendants whether by officers, servants or agents or otherwise and whosoever from further publishing or causing to be published the words complained of or any words of same or similar effect defamatory to the Plaintiff,� Awuku demanded. Over the weekend, these media houses circulated a tape recording of a male voice purported to be that of Mr. Awuku who was telling supporters of the opposition NPP in the UK that the Supreme Court Justices sitting on the landmark presidential election petition understood the NPP�s case. On the same tape, the voice was heard castigating the President of the nine-member panel, Justice William Atuguba, for being aligned to the ruling NDC. �The publication has sought to reduce me in the eyes of right thinking members of society, such that such members ought not to associate with me or likely to disparage me in my office, profession, calling, trade or business; and that I do not respect the Supreme Court or its Justices and cast doubt on their integrity, and that I have demonstrated gross disrespect for the highest court of the land and cast myself in the light of potential criminal contempt charges,� he complained in the writ. Fabricated Tape Mr. Awuku has denied ever uttering the words that have been widely associated with him in the controversial tape. In a statement issued over the weekend, he vehemently denied knowledge of such a tape. �I state emphatically that the said tape and whatever by-product arising are totally fabricated and doctored and that I have never made the kinds of statements contained in the said tape anywhere. I know absolutely nothing about it and I would entreat the general public and the media to treat the supposed tape with the contempt that it deserves,� he stated. �If the intent behind this fabricated tape is to influence the impending judgement of the Supreme Court in the ongoing presidential election petition, then I find it very lame and a mark of absolute desperation,� he charged. Meanwhile, the UK branch of the NPP which he was supposed to have talked to, has totally denied ever having the alleged conversation with Mr. Awuku: ��We of the NPP UK would like to state categorically that there was no meeting between Sammy Awuku and the NPP UK Branch when he was last in the United Kingdom. Sammy Awuku came to UK on a private family visit in the middle of July. At the time he was here, there was no meeting of NPP UK as we held our meeting on the last Sunday of July at a time he had returned to Ghana. �Our meetings are held on the last Sunday of every month. It is, therefore, not possible that any such meeting could have taken place and, therefore, any tape purporting to come from such a meeting is a fabricated one. Whatever the intention of the perpetrators of this act of defamation, it is intended to create unnecessary tension in the political atmosphere at a time when the entire nation is waiting for the Supreme Court verdict,� a statement released on Monday read. It was signed by Chairman of the UK wing of NPP, Hayford Atta-Krufi.