The immediate past Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Apeatu, has sued Net 2 TV’s ‘The Seat’ talk show host, Justice Kweku Annan, for defamation.
In a writ of summons dated July 2, the former police boss said the defendant, on June 16, this year during the course of his programme, which is broadcast in Twi and English, made a defamatory statement about him.
According to Mr Asante-Apeatu, the words used by Mr Kweku Annan “meant and were understood to mean that;
(i) The plaintiff was and is a fence for notorious criminals both in Ghana and Nigeria.
(ii) The plaintiff harbours criminals.
(iii) The plaintiff is a criminal who has been working in cahoots with hardened international criminals to unleash terror on Ghanaians.
(iv) The plaintiff is/was on the payroll of top criminals in Ghana and as such slept on his duty as IGP and he refused/neglected to cause the arrest and prosecution of the criminals.”
He described the comment as utterly false and product of Mr Kweku Annan’s imagination, mischievously calculated to injure his hard-won reputation, create disaffection for him and bring his into widespread hatred in the eyes of the right-thinking members of society both in Ghana and globally.
The former IGP said the comments have, in a shocking manner, damaged his reputation, and he has “suffered debilitating distress and embarrassment.”
Further, Mr Asante-Apeatu said, “he has been inundated with numerous calls from professional associates, journalists, social relations and friends and outright strangers and he has to answer very mortifying questions.”
He is, therefore, seeking general damages for libel including lawyer’s fees.