Accra, May 20, GNA - Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku Minister of Regional Co-operation and New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) has filed another one billion-cedi-writ against "The Chronicle", a private Accra newspaper, and its publishers for defamation

In a statement of claim filed by his Counsel Nana Obiri Boahen, a Sunyani based lawyer, the Minister is seeking general and exemplary damages for agony, mental torture and inconvenience among others, which visited him as a result of the publication.

The plaintiff, Dr Apraku is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction and further orders from the court.

He is also seeking an order of the court compelling the defendants to retract the said defamatory, libellous, scandalous statement in full publication in one of the state-owned newspapers for three consecutive days.

The plaintiff said in "The Chronicle" publication dated December 22, 2004, volume 13, number 73, the newspaper published as "Instructable Kufuor......... keeping his Ministers guessing."

Dr Apraku said in the publication, the Defendants made wicked, derogatory, false, malicious, untrue and unfounded statement/publication concerning him.

The Plaintiff said in that publication the Defendants sought to impugn his dignity, integrity, and reputation. It said going by the content, import and tenor, the publication sought to create the impression that he (the Plaintiff) was dishonest, immature, irresponsible and uncouth.

The Minister said, "if anything at all, the defendants should have contacted him to know of his side of the story before going public". Dr Apraku stated that the publication had exposed him to public ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right thinking men within the community that he lived.

The Plaintiff noted: "The Defendants have in recent times have cultivated the knack of writing defamatory and derogatory stories concerning Dr Apraku. The Defendants would stop at nothing in their bid or effort to drag the Plaintiff's name in the mud."

Dr Apraku had earlier filed 1.5 billion-cedi-writ against "The Chronicle" for defamation at an Accra High Court