GHc10 m defamation suit: Barker-Vormawor goes to SC, wants Kan Dapaah to answer 17 questions

Lawyer and civil rights activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor has dragged the National Security Minister, Albert Kan-Dapaah, to the Supreme Court to compel him to answer the 17 questions posed to him.

He believes that an order of the court in this regard would clarify the suit filed against him at the High Court by the minister.

Oliver, who is the defendant in the main suit, filed some questions, demanding responses from the minister.

However, in a response by his lawyers, led by Bright Otchere Adjekum, the minister noted that the request to admit those facts concerns national security confidentiality and his oath of secrecy as a minister.

Therefore, dissatisfied with the response, Oliver Barker has gone to the apex court, contending that the admission of his questions would establish that the minister tried to dissuade him from his civil activism with the Fix the Country movement.

Below are the seventeen(17) questions filed at the High Court;

1. That the Plaintiff is a member of the National Security Council.

2. That the Plaintiff attends the meetings of the National Security Council.

3. That the National Security Council did discuss the Defendant.

4. That the National Security Council did discuss the activities of the FixTheCountry movement.

5. That the National Security Council did discuss the Defendant’s activities with the FixTheCountry movement.

6. That the National Security Council did take a decision on how to handle, deal with or treat the Defendant.

7. That the National Security Council did take a decision on how to handle, deal with, or treat the FixTheCountry movement.

8. That the National Security Council did consider the Defendant as a threat to national security.

9. That the National Security Council did consider the activities of the FixTheCountry movement as a threat to national security.

10. That the Plaintiff did consider the Defendant as a threat to national security.

11. That the Plaintiff did consider the the activities of the FixTheCountry movement as a threat to national security.

12.That the National Security Council did require, direct, instruct, or expect the Plaintiff to carry out its decision (s) on the Defendant.

13. That the National Security Council did require, direct, instruct, or expect the Plaintiff to carry out its decisions) on the FixTheCountry movement.

14. That the National Security Council did require, direct, instruct, or expect the Plaintiff to coordinate the carrying out of its decisions on the Defendant.

15. That the National Security Council did require, direct, instruct, or expect the Plaintiff to coordinate the carrying out of its decisions on the the FixTheCountry Movement.

16.That the Plaintiff does work or perform his functions (as the minister responsible for national security) through the security and intelligence agencies.

17.That the Plaintiff does work or perform his functions (as the minister responsible for national security) through the Ghana Police Service.

Background

In September 2023, the National Security Minister sued Oliver Barker-Vormawor over allegations that the minister and other government officials tried to bribe him (Vormawor) to stop his activism.

Mr. Vormawor, who's also the Executive Director of the Democratic Accountability Lab, organisers of the recent #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest, stated on September 22, 2023, that he was offered $ 1 million and juicy government appointments to forfeit his activism - a claim he says is backed by evidence.

In his affidavit in support, the Minister admits that there were two cordial meetings that he convened as National Security Minister to give audience to FixTheCountry activists in the interest of peace.

He thus states emphatically that there were no inducements or threats of any sort made to Oliver or any member of the group of activists present.

He thus maintains that the allegations by Mr. Vormawor are defamatory and is thus seeking GHC 10,000,000.00 in damages.