Mireku Duker Drags Dompim Pepesa Chief, Media Houses to Court for Defamation

The Member of Parliament for the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency, George Mireku Duker, has sued the Dompim Pepesa chief, Nana Nyowah Panyin IV, and two media houses for defamation as regards his involvement in illegal mining.

He stated in the suit that the media houses, Multimedia Group (Joy FM) and Class Media (Accra FM), gave their platforms to Nana Nyowah Panyin IV, also known as Nathaniel Dekyi, to make the allegations against him without giving him an opportunity to respond.

Mr. Mireku Duker indicated that his reputation, politically and socially, has been affected by the publications both locally and internationally, adding that his chances of winning the seat in his constituency in the next elections have been marred.

Among the reliefs he sought from the court were damages of GHC 10 million, a retraction and apology by the two media houses in the Daily Graphic and on their own platforms, and an order restraining the chief and the media houses from continuing to propagate the alleged false publication on any platform.

The chief of Dompim Pepesa had also mentioned the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, on their media platforms when making their claims about illegal mining activity in the Western Region, although the Minister has yet to react.

Mr. Mireku Duker had earlier issued a disclaimer when the “self-acclaimed” chief had accused him of galamsey.

He declared last Tuesday in a statement that he doesn’t have any links to the activities of any form of illegal mining anywhere.

“I must indicate that the fight against illegal mining is a herculean task which cannot be won by just pointing accusing fingers at leaders, government appointees, and others at various levels in mining districts with the intent of tarnishing their image for political expediency and selfish parochial interests without any fact,” he added.