Accra, Oct. 26, GNA – The management of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has completely and absolutely rejected allegations of misappropriation of donations made to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the facility.
Through their lawyers, the Holy Trinity Chambers, the KATH management said the allegations were not true, and in fact false, which were being made with the sole intention to maliciously destroy the reputations of management members and the facility without any basis.
In a letter signed by Mr Kwame Adofo and sighted by the GNA, the solicitors said their clients received a copy of the Hawk Newspaper dated September 28, 2021, with the headline: “KATH splurge COVID-19 donations on luxury cars.”
Mr Adofo said the publication further alleged that the management of KATH had misappropriated donations meant to help ward off the coronavirus by spending one hundred and sixteen-thousand dollars to buy cars.
The lawyer said the imputations conveyed by the publication were that they were criminals occupying the management positions at KATH and that they were insensitive to the plight of the citizens they served.
He said the publication also indicated that they were not fit and proper persons to hold management positions in KATH.
Mr Adofo said his clients were further livid by the way the Newspaper published the defamatory imputations without checking with the CEO and Management for their side of the story, in breach of journalistic code of ethics.
“Our clients said that the Covid-19 monies are used exclusively to buy various items for the hospital which have been accounted for and audited,” he added.
He said the items certainly did not include any purchase of vehicles or cars for the CEO and the Medical Director.
He said for the avoidance of doubt, his clients deny that any COVID-19 monies were used to buy cars.
The lawyer said his clients further said that KATH had purchased two Toyota saloon cars from Toyota Ghana Limited and were paid for over a period from the Hospital’s Internally Generated Funds through cash payments and, not from COVID-19 monies and that members of Management found the publication repugnant and defamatory.
“Our clients further say that the malicious publication has caused considerable damage to their character and has caused them to receive unwarranted calls, suspicions, denigrating comments, hatred, contempt, and public ridicule,” he said.
The management is therefore strongly advising all media houses, bloggers and individuals to desist from defaming the members of management and the facility or be prepared to justify the allegations in the law courts.
He said his clients have decided to take legal action against the perpetuators of this mudsling. However, the management of KATH wishes to give the perpetuators the opportunity to either deny the story or justify the allegations.
“Our clients demand an immediate retraction of the publication, or you disassociate yourself from the story within 10 days from receipt of this letter,” he said.
He said to avoid doubt, “should you fail or refuse to retract the story, our instructions are to commence legal action for the defamatory imputations made against them without any further notice.”
GNA