By: Clara Baah Quainoo – GIJ Intern
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa Assembly, Mr Isaac Odoom is threatening to sue an Accra-based Radio Station, Peace Fm for allegedly drawing his hard-earned reputation into the mud.
Speaking to the media, the DCE alleged that Peace Fm on Monday, June 23, 2020, played an audio during their mid-day news in which certain unkind words were said.
According to him, the station categorically emphasised that the voice was his and therefore attributed the content of the audio to him.
“My attention was drawn to the audio that was played purporting to be mine so I listened to it and I noticed that it was a complete fabrication meant to destroy me,” he said.
“I therefore called the station to alert them of the harm they have caused to my image but to my surprise, the lady who answered my call even said worse,” he added.
According to the DCE, the words used by the person who answered his call further gave credence to the fact that perhaps “I was a target for destruction by the station.”
Mr Odum explained that the whole thing smacked of a calculated attempt by the station to assassinate his character and create disaffection for him as a DCE.
“It is sad and shameful that Peace Fm can wrongly interview someone and shamefully attribute it to me without doing due diligence” He remarked. I feel slandered by this false publication the station has made about me. In fact, it has adversely affected my whole being and I cannot let go,” Said Mr Odum
He, has therefore, issued a stun warning to Peace Fm to retract the said publication and render an unqualified apology to him or incur his wrath.
The DCE stressed that his lawyers have been instructed to notify the station of his intent to face them in court if they refuse to retract and apologize.
Background
During the mid-day news of Peace Fm on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, a story in which the DCE’s car was alleged to have ran over a sack containing fish was aired.
According to the story, as carried by Peace FM, the DCE did not show any concern to the owner of the sack.
In the process, a voice purported to be that of the DCE which was allegedly recorded earlier, was played to the world.
The DCE is contending that Peace FM never placed a call to him on any of his personal mobile numbers and therefore, could not attribute such audio to him.
“I can put on record that the number they called claiming to mine has never been any of my numbers and let me place on record that nobody answers my calls for me,” he disclosed.
Mr Odum therefore, denied knowledge of the audio that Peace FM purported to be his and played on air to the hearing of the general public.
