I have read a publication in your Friday the 13th of January 2016 edition of your paper captioned ‘’Journalist detained for assaulting a presenter’’ in which the said detained journalist was purported to be me .
I wish to put on record that the said publication in which my name captured as the said detained journalist is palpably false. In fact, after reading the piece I came to the conclusion that the author of the story bore a personal hatred against me or mischievously failed to do the necessary due diligence before putting out the story.
I therefore write this rejoinder to state my side of the story as carried in your widely circulated Newspaper.
I respond as follows:
On January 8 2017 around the hours of 18:30 GMT or thereabout whilst seated at the Koforidua Total 1 Fuel station with a friend and some colleague reporters, one Frank Kwabi, who uses an alias Kwaku Dawuro (my accuser), upon spotting me, moved to my direction , pounced and threw punches at me. It took that friend and the two other colleagues to whisk him away.
My crime, according to him, was that I had allegedly lambasted him on whatsapp (social Media platform) after he had accused some Accra radio stations of contributing to the defeat of the NDC in the Eastern Region.
After his attack on me , the said Frank Kwabi a .k.a Kwaku Dawuro, knowing his guilt quickly rushed to the Police Station to lodge a complaint against me. The District commander, after listening to the story advised that we both make amends and let bygone be bygone.
After the reconciliation, the said Frank Kwabi decided to give the story a new twist by writing his own story for Publication in both traditional and social media, describing himself as the victim rather than the attacker which I find very strange.
Indeed, Daniel Bampoe who happens to be the accredited reporter for Daily Guide in the Eastern Region upon enquiry disclosed to me that my accuser {Frank Kwabi} put together the story and sent it through him to the Accra office of Daily Guide for publication after I sought to know from him (Bampoe) why he wrote the story without giving me a hearing.
Indeed, a whatsapp conversation dated January, 12 and 13 from my accuser to the paper’s reporter clearly points to the fact that he (Kwabi) scripted the piece through the Daily Guide reporter to its Accra office.
I find his attitude as an attempt to soil my hard won reputation and also for me to look bad in the eyes of the public and my employers.
I must put on record that no police station has ever detained me for assault.
Another claim as contained in the story describing me as an activist of the NDC is a blatant lie and falsehood and can best be described as a figment of his own imagination.
For the records, I don’t hold the membership of any political party, and neither have I put on any party paraphernalia or taken a partisan stance in my career .
I have always adhered to the tenets of the journalism profession, acted or behaved professionally. A simple Google of my name on the internet will testify to my professionalism.
Perhaps my accuser who doubles as an Assembly man may want to drag my name into the partisan politics which has been his professional hallmark.
I reproduce some portions of the whatsapp messages he sent to the Daily Guide correspondent below;
Note: Dawuro in the conversation is my accuser and Alhaji Daniel Bampoe is the Eastern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Guide.
{1/11,20:35} Dawuro Kingdom fm: Have you worked on my story
{1/12,07:45} Dawuro Kingdom fm: Gm
{1/12,07:45} Dawuro Kingdom fm: U didn’t send the story
{1/12,07:46} Alhaji Daniel Bampoe: oh y re saying that
{1/12,07:48} Dawuro kingdom fm: I’ll call Charles (Charles Takyi Boadu) after my program
{1/12,07:49} Alhaji Daniel Bampoe: But Charles is not the editor
{1/12,08:08} Dawuro Kingdom fm: I Know
A lot ensued between the two colleagues on January, 12 but because of time and space I couldn’t produce all.
The conversation existed till Friday January, 13 when the story was published.
Again, I produce some portions of the conversation that ensued between the two after the story was published.
{1/13,12:16} Kwabi Kingdom fm: Tell them u know nothing about the story moreover it doesn’t bare your name, that’s all.
{1/13,12:22} Alhaji Daniel Bampoe: Jus saw ur call. Am busy somewhere
{1/13,12:22} Did you told them u were called to publish
Indeed I wish to state that the facts have been twisted to favour my attacker as the victim.
I entreat the paper and all online portals who published the story to do same to my rejoinder and give it the same prominence it deserves.
Signed Kofi Siaw E/R correspondent,Joy fm
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