Accra (Greater Accra) 21 May '99

Nana Kofi Coomson, Managing Editor of the "Ghanaian Chronicle", on Thursday said a story he published about the government's alleged dealing in arms and drugs was taken from a story in the New York based " African Observer".

Coomson, who was opening his defence, said he quoted the weekly, which stated that "the government has been implicated in an arms and drug deal".

The accused is on trial with Eben Quarcoo, former editor of the "Free Press", on a charge of publishing reports likely to injure the reputation of the government.

Both have pleaded not guilty and are on a 10 million cedis bail each.

Coomson and Quarcoo in 1996, published in their papers that the NDC Government was dealing in arms and ammunition and drugs and that it was using proceeds from the drugs to purchase arms to destabilise the country in case it lost the December 1996 general elections.

Led in evidence by his attorney, Mr Akoto Ampaw, Coomson said before he wrote the story he contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the sector minister and his deputy were not available for their comments.

Coomson said he wrote to the Castle for the Government's comments but could not get a reply.

He said he tried several times to contact Mr Frank Benneh, a former Ghanaian diplomat in Geveva, who was mentioned in the publication as the agent of the government in the alleged drug deal, but he could not get him for his comments.

Cross-examined by Mr Martin Amidu, Deputy Attorney - General, Coomson agreed with a suggestion that as a journalist, he knew that there was a distinction between facts and allegations.

Accused said he has no "substantial reason to disbelieve that my story was not factual".

Coomson said he could not answer for the editor of the "African Observer", upon whose story he relied and added that he expected the Government to publish a rejoinder since he found it difficult to get its comments.

Hearing continues on June two.