National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, has told the High Court in Accra that activities of the FixTheCountry Movement and Oliver Barker-Vormawor featured in “few of his briefs” at the National Security Council meetings.
According to him, though “My briefs are given orally, there has been few occasions where it has featured in my (written) briefs.”
Albert Kan Dapaah made this known while facing cross examination from lawyers of Oliver Barker-Vormawor, led by Dr Justice Srem Sai in a case the Minister is demanding GHc10 million defamation sum.
The National Security Minister is seeking some GHc10 million sum from Barker-Vormawor for an alleged bribery allegation made against him
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024 Albert Kan Dapaah opened his case and has his Evidence-in-Chief by way of his witness statement adopted by the Court.
Moments after hislawyers led by Otchere Adjekum led him to give his testimony, his cross examination started.
Under cross examination from Dr. Justice Srem Sai, the National Security Minister said, “I attend national security council upon the express invitation of the President.”
While denying assertions that, as a national security minister he works with the Ghana police service, the Minister added that, “I do not work with the Ghana Police Service.”
Briefs at Council meetings
Asked by Dr Justice Srem Sai, Counsel for Barker-Vormawor, the Defendant in the case, if “You know the #FixTheCountry movement?”
The Minister, who is the Plaintiff in the matter said “I know the #FixtheCountry Movement through the media and briefs I have had through the National Security Coordinator.”
It was also the case of Dr Justice Srem Sai to the Minster that, “You have been at National Security Council Meetings and have submitted briefs on the Defendant (Barker-Vormawor) and #TheFixedCountry movement.”
But the Minister who was given the option to answer either “True or False,” decided to offer explanation saying, “I don’t submit written briefs at National Security Council Meetings.”
“My briefs are given orally,” but “There have been few occasions where it (The FixTheCountry Movement) has featured in my briefs.”
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah who was in Court reports that the Court presided over by Justice Rev. Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyeman, has adjourned the case to December 20, 2024 for further cross examination.
Background
The National Security Minister has accused the former FixTheCountry Movement Convener for defamation and has initiated a legal action against him.
Albert Kan Dapaah’s defamation suit was initiated over some comments said to have been made by Barker-Vormawor which the Minister alleged defamed him.
The action of Kan Dapaah comes on the back of some allegations made by the Fix-The-Country Convener that the National Security and some government officials had met him and offered him money in order for him to stop his activism against the government.
The allegation was refuted by the National Security Minister and subsequently filed a defamation suit in court against Barker-Vormawor.
The Minister is seeking “recovery of the sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GHC10,000,000.00) as General Damages including Aggravated and/or Exemplary Damages for Defamation for the words uttered by Defendant.”
“An apology for and retraction of the words complained of supra.
“A perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the Plaintiff.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Murtala Inusah
