June 15, 1999

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Hubert Frank, a Swiss national, was on Tuesday sentenced to one month in prison with hard labour by a circuit tribunal in Accra after he had been found guilty on a charge of defaming Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings.

The tribunal ordered that the accused be deported after serving the sentence. Frank, 48, and a former supervisor of Bilfinger and Burger, a German road construction company, pleaded not guilty.

Police Inspector E.K. Dunyo told the tribunal that in May, 1997 a worker of the company went to Frank and asked for protective clothing before filling a silo with cement.

The Police said the worker said requested proper dress, boots nose cover and goggles because the work environment was "dangerous." However Frank shouted obscene words against Rawlings.

When the worker told him that he would report his utterances to the Police, he said "with Ghana Police, it is a matter of money."

In his defence, Frank denied making those statements and said h was framed up.