You failed to provide evidence, why publish this ‘inaccurate gold mafia’ documentary? – Akufo-Addo bites Al Jazeera

President Nana Akufo-Addo has instructed his lawyers to compel Al Jazeera to retract and apologise for airing what it described as a "malicious and defamatory" documentary about him.

In a letter to Al Jazeera, Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante, said the documentary made "baseless claims" that Akufo-Addo acted as a lawyer for a man named Alistair Mathias and "implied that the President personally benefitted unlawfully from an alleged $100m state infrastructure contract" given to Mathias.

The letter said Akufo-Addo has not practised law since 2000 and does not recall representing Mathias. He asked Al Jazeera to provide evidence to support its claims.

"Those parts of the documentary are malicious, defamatory, and a calculated attempt to tarnish the reputation of the President and Government of Ghana," the secretary wrote.

He demanded that Al Jazeera "withdraws the documentary immediately, retract and apologise to the President and the Government of Ghana for airing such an unprofessional and defamatory documentary."

Al Jazeera's documentary claimed Mathias was given a $100 million state contract he outsourced, keeping some profits in offshore accounts. But Mathias denied this in the documentary, contradicting what he had told Al Jazeera's journalist.

"In light of these blatant denials by Mr. Alistair Mathias and the response from Mr. Essuman, those parts of the documentary ought not to have been included because those statements were not true," Nana Bediatuo wrote.

He gave Al Jazeera seven days to comply with the demands or face legal action, which the network is yet to respond.

The documentary is the latest in a string of Al Jazeera investigations accusing top African officials of corruption, particularly in gold smuggling.

Below is a copy of the letter from the President's Office:

REQUEST FOR RETRACTION AND APOLOGY FOR INACCURATE AND UNFAIR DOCUMENTARY ON THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNMENT OF GHANA

I am instructed by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to demand formally that Al Jazeera Media Network ("Al Jazeera") retract immediately and apologise for airing an inaccurate and unfair documentary that contained spurious and unsubstantiated allegations against the President and the Government of Ghana.

The documentary in question made baseless claims that the President acted as a lawyer for one Mr. Alistair Mathias and implied that the President personally benefitted unlawfully from an alleged $100m state infrastructure contract purportedly awarded to Mr. Mathias.

In his letter dated 11thApril, 2023, responding to Al Jazeera's letter of 2ndApril, 2023, which was received on April, 2023, containing these vague and defamatory allegations, the Legal Counsel to the President, Mr. Kow Abaka Essuman, acting on the instructions of the President, informed Al Jazeera that the President had not been in private practice since the year 2000 and that the President had no recollection of acting as a lawyer, either personally or through his law firm, Messrs. Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co, for a Mr. Alistair Mathias or his company, Guldrest Resources.

In those circumstances, further and better particulars were demanded from Al Jazeera to respond adequately to the allegations made in Al Jazeera's letter. Al Jazeera was thus requested to provide information on the period for which the President allegedly provided legal representation to Mr. Alistair Mathias or his company, Guldrest Resources.

Furthermore, Al Jazeera was requested to provide details of the "USD 100 million tender for state infrastructure", allegedly given to Mr. Mathias, which he outsourced and kept a percentage in offshore accounts, as stated in the letter as well as information on how the President personally benefited unlawfully from the alleged "USD 100 million tender for state infrastructure."

Al Jazeera refused or failed to provide these details as requested and went ahead with the broadcast of the documentary. At the end of the documentary, a terse text was shown, contradicting the content of the documentary. Additionally, the subject of the documentary, Mr.

Alistair Mathias, denied what he said in the documentary to Al Jazeera's investigative journalist. In light of these blatant denials by Mr. Alistair Mathias and the response from Mr. Essuman, those parts of the documentary ought not to have been included because those statements were not true.

Accordingly, those parts of the documentary are malicious, defamatory, and a calculated attempt to tarnish the reputation of the President and Government of Ghana. It is therefore demanded that Al Jazeera withdraws the documentary immediately, retracts and apologises to the President and the Government of Ghana for airing such an unprofessional and defamatory documentary.

It is imperative that you act forthwith on this request within seven (7) days from the date of receipt of this letter.

Please confirm receipt of this letter and your intention to take the necessary action as requested.

Nana Bediatuo Asante
Secretary to the President