The $2m libel suit filed by the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi against Multimedia Group Limited (MGL) and two of its journalists will resume on Monday, February 12 in Accra.
It will be recalled that in 2016, Nyantakyi sued Multimedia, seeking damages from the company and its journalists Patrick Osei Agyemang (alias Songo) and Kofi Asare Brako (alias Abatay, who now works with Atinka FM) for allegedly calling him “the head of a Mafia”.
Nyantakyi, a vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), claims Asempa FM – a local-language FM station owned by MGL – tarnished his image in a series of broadcasts involving two of their journalists.
However, a leaked letter addressed to Nyantakyi’s lawyers, Sory@Law by CPL pleads with the GFA boss to “in the spirit of reconciliation” accept the amount of GHC 40,000 as compensation for what has transpired.
The letter signed by a Managing Partner of CPL, Shadrach Arhin states that: “In the spirit of reconciliation, and the efforts made by our client in rendering an unqualified apology to your client and retracting the story online on its portals, our client pleads with your client to accept the amount of GHC40,00 as compensation for what has transpired.
“We hope this is acceptable to your client”.
Nyantakyi not interested in compensation
“I am not interested in money or punishment but to set the record straight,” Nyantakyi, a Fifa Council member, told BBC Sport.
Thadeus Sory, Nyantakyi’s lawyer, told BBC Sport that his client was described as ‘heading a mafia’ and stealing money meant for the GFA.
“They’ve called me a ‘thief’, ‘armed robber’ and a ‘corrupt’ man,” added Nyantakyi.
“I have sued them. I want to uphold standards in journalism in Ghana which have been thrown to the dogs.”
“The allegations are defamatory. To call him the head of a mafia is to impute criminality,” said Thadeus Sory, Nyantakyi’s lawyer.
The GFA president’s conduct has been under scrutiny since a government-instituted panel of enquiry recommended last year that he refund $412,000 budgeted for the 2014 World Cup, “which he has failed to account for.”
Nyantakyi, who has led Ghanaian football since 2005, is challenging the enquiry’s verdict in court.
Agyeman, one of the two journalists being sued, refused to be drawn on the libel suit when contacted by BBC Sport.
“My lawyers have advised me not to speak,” he replied.
Source : graphic.com.gh
