De-Eye group Limited, the company at the centre of the recent documentary by journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure has sued Multimedia group of companies and Manasseh Azure Awuni over claims made in the documentary.
In the documentary, Manasseh Azure alleged that the company was training a pro-government militia group operating from the Osu Castle, a former seat of government.
Both the government and the De-Eye group have denied the allegations, insisting that the company is a recruitment agency which is not a threat to Ghana’s security.
De-Eye group in its writ indicated that the company is not a “militia group” as suggested in the documentary.
“The plaintiff avers that the promotion of the 1st Defendant documentary coupled with the full documentary which was aired on the 2nd Defendant’s network has generated several comments and media attention ostensibly to tarnish the reputation of the organisation by describing it as a militia group when in fact its activities have nothing to do with any militia operations,” it added.
[contextly_sidebar id=”MfrKmVfIntTxLxJcshFMCIi8TYoVAsDi”]The company is, therefore, seeking a declaration that the publication be declared “slanderous and defamatory.”
De-Eye is also seeking compensatory damages in the sum of ten million Ghana cedis for “loss of reputation against the defendants.”
The company is also seeking an order “directed at the defendants to retract the said defamatory publications and render unqualified apology in the same prominence on Joy TV and four publications in the Daily Graphic.”
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has denied having any form of affiliation with the ‘De-Eye’.
The party said it does not support the activities of the group.
“While any effort at helping rid the country of politically related violence is welcome and is to be commended. The NPP wishes to state unequivocally for the records that it has no connection to the purported group shown in the documentary. The NPP has not established any such group and is neither affiliated to nor supports one.”
Government also said the Osu Castle is no longer a security installation as suggested in Manessah’s documentary.
Minister of State in-charge of National Security, Byran Acheampong has also said the activities of Nana Wireko, leader of ‘ De-Eye’ group were suspended in October 2018.
According to him, the group after the shutdown, relocated to Dzowulu, a suburb of Accra to continue operations.
In an open letter, however, Mr. Acheampong indicated that although the group was thrown out of the Osu Castle on three occasions, the government was unaware that they had returned to the premises.
“We are also aware that Nana Wireko alias Choman started his company from his former Secretariat at the castle where we warned him on two occasions and arrested him, threw him out of the office and shut it down in October on our third encounter with him. It has not come to our notice that he’d had access to the office since. Their new office is located at Dzowulu.”
Varied opinions have characterized a video documentary by a journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure which captured “De-Eye” using the former seat of government as a training ground.
While the government has described the documentary as misleading, the Minority has called for the head of President Akufo-Addo.
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By: Marian Ansah| citinewsroom.com| Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah
