Kweku Paintsil, lawyer for Lighthouse Chapel International ( LCI) in a defamation suit against Manasseh Azure and three others grilled Manasseh on why he has hidden a letter which he claims forms an integral part of his defence.
Manasseh Azure, Edwin Appiah, Sulemana Braimah and Media Foundation for West Africa are defendants in this suit for the publication of three articles tiltled “Darkness in a Lighthouse.” All four defendants have already been convicted for contempt of court for the publication of the articles.
Cross examination of Manasseh continued on 13th, 15th and 18th of November 2024 before Justice Joseph Adu- Owusu Agyemang in the General Jurisdiction, Division 13 of the High Court. Manasseh is represented by Lawyer Samson Lardi Anyenini.
The defendants stated that they wrote to LCI about allegations made against LCI by former pastors of the church before publishing. These former pastors are Larry Odonkor, Emmanuel Oko Mensah, Edward Laryea, Seth Duncan, Edem Amankwah and Faith Fiakojo.
Marcel Aboagye, the witness for LCI had earlier told the court that the defendants mischievously decided not to exhibit that letter even though it forms a major part of their defence because they know that large portions of the publications have no connection with the letter.
Counsel for LCI asked Manasseh why he has hidden the letter from the court although he relies on it as a defence. He responded that it was an oversight.
Counsel then applied to the court to order Manasseh to produce the letter to the court. The application was granted.
Manasseh Azure then produced to the letter on the next adjourned date.
He was then questioned on the publication he made that the LCI had so maltreated Seth Duncan, one of the former pastors that he was pushed to attempt suicide at least 3 times including cutting his scrotum. Counsel put it to him that the specific allegation of the suicide attempts and it’s link to the church were not contained in the letter.
The publication said Seth Duncan went to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital after he cut his scrotum. Manasseh was asked whether as an investigative journalist he requested for a medical report from either Seth Duncan or the Bolgatanga Hospital to “ verify this huge allegation.”
He responded that Seth Duncan did not have “a lot of documents or receipts because it had been over a long period of time” and that he didn’t request for proof from the hospital because “ per my experience as a journalist they do not release third party information.”
Mr. Paintsil pushed Manasseh further : “ You claim you are an investigative journalist and were desirous of publishing the truth of a story you had been told but you could not tell the storyteller to procure the evidence from the hospital before you published?”
Manasseh answered that he had “no reason to doubt that he ( Seth Duncan ) had gone through what he said he went through.”
Counsel then asked Manasseh whether he Manasseh has a scrotum to which he responded in the affirmative. Then he was asked whether Seth Duncan told him which part of the scrotum he cut and he said no.
Counsel then fired at Manasseh that what is clear is that “by the time of the publication you never confronted Seth Duncan with the specifics of the allegation”
Manasseh answered that he did “but journalists are trained to be very sensitive when interviewing or reporting on people who have suffered psychological or emotional trauma.”
Mr. Paintsil then countered him that what he is saying means that when he is doing a story arising from alleged traumatic experiences “ it is only the interest of the alleged victim that weighs on your mind and not the image of the alleged perpetrator”
Manasseh said that it is not so.
The case was adjouned to 21, 23rd, 28th and 31st January for continuation of the cross examination
