National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah
National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah has told the High Court in Accra that the activities of the FixTheCountry Movement and Oliver Barker-Vormawor featured in “a few of his briefs” at the National Security Council meetings.
According to him, though “My briefs are given orally, there have been a few occasions where it has featured in my (written) briefs.”
Albert Kan-Dapaah made this known while facing cross-examination from the lawyers of Oliver Barker-Vormawor, led by Dr. Justice Srem Sai, in a case where the Minister is demanding a GH₵10 million defamation sum.
The National Security Minister is seeking GH₵10 million from Barker-Vormawor for an alleged bribery allegation made against him.
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Albert Kan-Dapaah opened his case and had his Evidence-in-Chief through his witness statement adopted by the Court.
Moments after his lawyers, 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 meetings 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, “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 Minister, “You have been at National Security Council Meetings and have submitted briefs on the Defendant (Barker-Vormawor) and #TheFixTheCountry movement.”
But the Minister, who was given the option to answer either “True or False,” decided to offer an explanation, saying, “I don’t submit written briefs at National Security Council Meetings.”
“My briefs are given orally,” but “There have been a 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 of defamation and has initiated 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 FixTheCountry 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, who subsequently filed a defamation suit in Court against Barker-Vormawor.
The Minister is seeking “recovery of the sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GH₵10,000,000.00) as General Damages including Aggravated and/or Exemplary Damages for Defamation for the words uttered by the Defendant,” “an apology for and retraction of the words complained of supra,” and “a perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the Plaintiff.”
