Chairman Wontumi cites UTV, Fadda Dickson, and 4 others for contempt of court

The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) popularly called Chairman Wontummi has cited United Television, Dr. Fadda Dickson Narh, and four others for contempt of court.

According to him, the television station, UTV and Dr.Fadda Dickson, Executive Producer, and the four others; Felicity Ama Agyeman, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa, Kwame Asare Obeng and Emmanuel Barnes have subjudiced a case before the court for allowing their platform to be used by Afia Schwarzenegger, a party to the suit, with the help of the others to discuss the import of the suit on the July 9, 2022 edition of their widely watched entertainment show; United Showbiz.

You may recall that on June 9, 2022, Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi instituted a legal action at the High Court, Tema against Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa popularly called Afia Schwarzenegger relative to publications on her Facebook page which the plaintiff finds defamatory.

According to the affidavit in support of the motion for contempt, signed by counsel, Maurice Ampaw of the Heritage Law Firm, the applicant notes that on July 9, 2022 edition of the most watched United Showbiz, Valentina Afia Agyeiwaa was given the platform by the UTV, Nana Ama Macbrown, the host and Dr. Fadda Dickson, who is the Executive producer, with the help of the others, to discuss her alleged sexual relationship with Chairman Wontumi, which is a matter for determination by the court.

He adds that Valentina Afia Agyeiwaa stated on the live show that she had had sex with the Applicant and dated the Applicant for 16 months and made reference to the pending suit, describing the writ as incompetent.

Additionally, it states that even though Afia Schwarzenegger indicated during the program that her lawyer had advised her not to discuss the import of the suit, the respondents on the show ignored the same and allowed her to go into the case.

Also, the 5th Respondent, popularly called A-Plus, gave his support to Afia by saying that he is aware of the sexual relationship between her and Chairman Wontumi and he is even aware that they were living as man and wife and further described the writ as useless.

Even though two of the panelists were trying to be fair, the applicant notes that their attempt was greatly resisted by A-Plus and Mr. Logic who claimed on the show that they have an agenda to support Afia Schwarzenegger.

The applicant contends that the Saturday, 9th July 2022, edition of the United Showbiz, was a clear agenda and attempt to give Afia Schwarzenegger, the needed platform to strengthen her case before the court and to seriously prejudice the matter before the Court which he claims is contemptuous.

He, therefore, praying the court that the conduct of the Respondents is tantamount to Contempt of Court and warrant their Committal to prison as it will serve as an appropriate punitive action to defer the Respondents and other media houses and the public at large from undermining the authority of the court when a matter is pending before the Court.

Substantive Suit

Per the substantive suit, the plaintiff, Bernard Antwi Boasiako is seeking inter alia;

A declaration that the statement made of and concerning Plaintiff by Defendant on her Facebook page and other social media platforms which were published on or about the 4th day of June 2022 and pleaded at paragraphs 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 of the Statement of Claim is defamatory of the Plaintiff.

A Perpetual Injunction restraining Defendant, her workmen, servants, allies, agents, assigns or anybody claiming or taking instructions from her from further publishing any further defamatory material against Plaintiff.

An order directed at Defendant compelling her to cause to be published on her social media handles as well as all media houses and blogging sites in Ghana to render an unqualified apology to Plaintiff and immediately retract the defamatory statement and pull down the said videos within three (3) days of judgment.

Damages of Two Million Ghana Cedis for defaming the Plaintiff.

Cost including legal fees.