Ibrahim Mahama Invades Court With Tape

Ibrahim Mahama, brother of President Mahama, yesterday stormed the Kumasi High Court Seven where he has sued Bernard Antwi Boasiako, aka �Wontumi�, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), with a tape recorder. Mr Ibrahim who had filed a suit praying the court to order Wontumi to compensate him with a staggering GH�5 million over defamation, perhaps brought the tape recorder to the court to play the tape on which he claimed Wontumi made the defamatory comments. Lawyer of Ibrahim, Charles Zwennes, at the court�s last sitting told the court that the complainant has a recorded tape on which Wontumi, whilst addressing his party faithful at Obuasi, accused Ibrahim and President Mahama of siphoning state funds via the increase of fuel prices. He had said the wild allegation made by Wontumi, which was made on a public platform, had defamed his client and had also paved way for other people to unjustifiably hurl insults and insinuations at Ibrahim. He promised to play the tape in court at its next sitting, which was yesterday. NO SHOW The trial of the defamation case which was supposed to commence yesterday, could not come on as scheduled because the presiding judge, Ringo Azumah, was said to be unwell so the case was adjourned to January 14, 2015. IBRAHIM�S LAWYER Charles Zwennes, who seemed not happy about the adjournment of the case, said �as lawyers we always suffer delay of cases due to adjournments. Adjournments therefore are not something unusual here.� �We take dates as lawyers from the courts but we are relentless in our pursuit for justice, Ibrahim�s lawyer told a team of media practitioners who were at the court premises. MANHYIA HANDSHAKE He said he was aware of the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II�s intervention to get Ibrahim to withdraw the case from court, adding that his client was innocent of the falsehood peddled against him so he wanted the defendant to admit his fault and apologise so that the case could be withdrawn from the court. �There is a good old saying that the word sorry does a lot to mend a broken heart. In the wisdom of our leaders who we have great respect for, they all believe that when you say sorry it makes you a bigger man than when you choose not to say sorry,� Charles Zwennes stressed. WONTUMI�S LAWYER Kwabena Atta Adjei, who represented Wontumi in court, said he was aware that some powers that be were trying to strike an out-of-court settlement between the two parties, but he maintained that as defendants they could do little regarding the withdrawal of the case from court. He stressed that his client was open to any agreement for settlement, but added that such an initiative should come from the complainant. According to him, the complainant who brought the case to court has the sole right to determine that he wants to withdraw the civil matter from court, adding that he believes that his client (Wontumi) would not mind saying sorry to the complainant if that is what would settle the issue. WONTUMI ABSENT Wontumi, for the second time, was missing in court but Ibrahim was in court, accompanied by top notch NDC members and government officials in the region who were at the court to offer support to his course. Ibrahim�s entourage included KMA Boss Kojo Bonsu, Yaw Obimpeh, Ashanti Regional NDC Chairman, Francis Dodovi, Kromo, Napoleon Ade, Nana Mensah Bonsu, aka �Atiki�, among a host of party members in the city. Even though Wontumi was not present in court, staunch NPP members in the region including Dr Nsiah Asare, Akwasi Nti, Fomena NPP Chairman, Ghana Beyeyie, Andy Owusu, Edmund Kyei and other NPP constituency chairmen were in court. IBRAHIM Speaking to DAILY GUIDE after proceedings, Mr Ibrahim reiterated that �Otumfuo during the last Akwasidae told Wontumi that he had erred so he should apologise to me and the president, so I will withdraw the case from court only after Wontumi has obeyed the King�s order.� NPP CHAIRMAN GOES WILD Akwasi Nti, the Fomena Constituency Chairman of the NPP, who looked very angry, insisted that Wontumi had not erred therefore he (Wontumi) owed nobody any apology, adding that the NPP would support their chairman to see the case run its full course.