Stalwart of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has sued former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng for defamation.
Gabby Otchere-Darko, in a writ filed at an Accra High Court, is seeking a fine of GH¢10 million to be slapped against the former minister for levelling allegations against him in his controversial report, which he believes, impugned his reputation.
He is also asking for an apology and a retraction of the said allegations against him as well as a “perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant whether by himself, his servants, agents or assigns from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the Plaintiff (Mr. Otchere-Darko)”.
In an explosive report which has found it way into the public domain after gathering dust at the presidency for 2 years, the former Environment Minister, who was the Chairman of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), accused Mr. Otchere-Darko and other top officials of the government and the governing party of thwarting the efforts of the committee to tackle the menace.
According to Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the president’s cousin intervened when the committee attempted to ban operations of a company known as Heritage Imperial Mining Co. Ltd. which was found to have engaged in illegal, and demanded that the company be allowed to continue its illegal activities.
But Mr. Otchere-Darko, in response, denied the allegations, stating that he had only called the former Minister to seek information on the company, to which he is a legal advisor.
Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, however, rubbished this claim by the president’s cousin.
“Mr. Gabby Otchere Darko, it is laughable that you claim to have called me to seek information on your client. If you needed any information, you could have called the Minerals Commission. You know I did not operate mining information services,” he said in a counter response.
The surgeon argued that Mr. Otchere-Darko was fully aware of the illegal activities of the company and the destruction it was causing and yet chose to use his privileged position to protect it.
He cited the release of some Chinese mine workers of the company who were arrested for engaging in the menace as an instance of the president cousin’s intervention and using his influence to protect the illegality and destruction perpetrated by the company.
