In two separate law suits, former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman Freddie Blay, and his son, Kwame Blay, have sued Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for defamatory publications made against them, falsely implicating them in the supposed theft of State property. While the suit by Kwame Blay is against only Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Freddie Blay’s suit, in addition to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, includes Media General and Johnnie Hughes.
In summary:
First suit
Kwame Blay, in his suit against Okudzeto Ablakwa, emphasises that he is a distinct personality from his brother, Kwaw, and by extension and implication, his business dealings. He states categorically that he has never been involved in any way or manner in the activities of Polo Beach Club or any entity affiliated to Polo Beach Club, and has no interest or stake in them as well. He further states that he has never dealt with Loic Devos Jnr, the man who is currently involved in a dispute in court with one of his brother’s businesses, Press Xpress. He concludes that the claim by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that he had stolen state land and has ‘elbowed’ was involved in a scheme to cheat Loic is totally false, and has greatly affected his business and reputation. Kwame further wondered why a lawmaker, who should be expected to know better, would so publicly seek to publicly adjudicate a case involving two private persons, which is presently the subject of court proceedings in a manner seeking to cause public disaffection for one of the parties and also go on to essentially find his brother culpable when the court has yet to make its decision.
In the second law suit by Freddie Blay aganist Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Johnnie Hughes and Media General, Freddie Blay claims that Okudzeto’s actions and utterances were actuated by malice, considering the fact that we are close to elections, and that it is a calculated attempt to ruin his hard-earned reputation. Since, the information published about his sons and his family are utterly false.
Freddie in his suit also claims that Media General and Jonny Hughes also published untruths calculated to ruin his strong-won reputation. He indicates that Johnnie Hughes, latching onto the statements by Okudzeto, took to his Johnnie’s Bite program, and denigrating him to a point where you would think that he, Johnnie Hughes was speaking to something which was factual, and that this irresponsible act of Johnnie Hughes has on its own, further brought his reputation into disrepute.