Private legal practitioner, Maurice Ampaw has opined that there is no freedom of expression in the Ashanti region.
According to him, people cannot freely comment on issues without incurring the wrath of traditional authorities.
“In Accra when you speak, you speak, unlike the Ashanti Region where when you speak they want to gag you. They want to sit on your fundamental human right. There’s no freedom of expression in the Ashanti Region.
“Don’t you think that if I were a pure media person the media fraternity will come to my aid and say that freedom of expression and opinion is being gagged. Why won’t Nananom invite me to the Media Commission or National Communications Authority?,” he queried on Accra-based Kasapa FM.
The outspoken lawyer’s comment comes in the wake of summons to appear before the Kumasi Traditional Council at Manhyia Palace on Monday.
The directive is in response to his alleged derogatory remarks against the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and some chiefs.
Despite his readiness to honour the invitation a few days ago, Mr Ampaw has changed his mind.
He insists he stands by his comments and is willing to go any extent to prove them if challenged.
”When somebody says something, give the person the opportunity to justify what he has said, because truth justifies everything.
“In the law of Defamation, when someone says you are a thief and the person has evidence, he has not disgraced you. The person only defames or disgraces you if the person has no evidence to back his or her claim,” he fumed.
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