As It Happened: Manasseh Azure Cross-Examined In Court In Lighthouse Defamation Suit
- Manasseh Azure, an investigative journalist, has been cross-examined in a defamation suit filed by Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI)
- LCI sued him and two others for unsubstantiated claims made against the church and its leadership in a series of articles titled Darkness in a Lighthouse
- Manasseh, during cross-examination, had admitted that he had merely reported what LCI's accusers had alleged
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure has had his day in court over his publication of a series of articles titled Darkness in a Lighthouse, for which he is facing defamation charges.
The articles concerned allegations of impropriety against Dag Heward-Mills, the overseer of Lighthouse Chapel International, and the church's management.
Source: UGC
The LCI, in turn, sued Manasseh Azure, the Editor-In-Chief of the Fourth Estate, which published the claims, Sulemana Braimah, its director, the Media Foundation for West Africa, and Edwin Appiah, the journalist who broke the story.
In their defence, the defendants stated that the defamation suit filed against them was intended to illegally impugn and frustrate their fundamental and constitutional right to speech and mass media as guaranteed under Articles 21 and 162 of the Constitution.
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The cross-examination
During Manasseh Azure’s cross-examination by lawyer Kweku Paintsil, the counsel for LCI, on June 19, 2024, the journalist was asked whether he knew that Article 164, which ensures that every Ghanaian has the right to good reputation, balances Article 162, which provides the freedom of the press. Azure answered in the affirmative.
When Darkness in a Lighthouse was published, the allegations against LCI had already been made before a court.
Kweku Paintsil then asked Azure if he understood the implications of disclosing information about a case when said information has not been brought before the court. Azure said he did, in his capacity as a journalist.
Paintsil further asked Azure if he had received training on courtroom reporting. Azure said he was trained to refrain from passing judgement or opinions about the possible outcome of a case.
Upon further questions about the allegations he had made in his article about the LCI, Azure stated that he had merely reported the claims made by the six pastors who resigned.
The same claims were contained in the writ the pastors filed against the church in an earlier suit.
He admitted that the documents filed by the pastors were for the judge’s assessment and determination and did not expect his publication to affect the judge’s conclusion on the matter.
LCI had meanwhile accused Azure and the other defendants of proceeding to publish an article titled Evidence—How Lighthouse Chapel Incriminated Itself, and SSNIT Looked Away, despite a SSNIT report indicating that LCI had not withheld the six pastors’ contributions as earlier alleged.
The LCI said that despite Azure and his team lacking any proof to substantiate their claim of impropriety on the church's part, they still published the claims.
The church said the defendants also failed to provide evidence to substantiate any other claims they made in their articles.
The court, presided over by Justice Joseph Adu Owusu, adjourned the matter to July 22, 2024.
Church member hails Dag Heward-Mills
YEN.com.gh reported that Peter Melomey, a member of Lighthouse Chapel International, sang the praises of Bishop Dag Heward-Mills.
According to him, the renowned Bishop became everything he needed in a father after his biological dad died.
Melomey's post comes amid accusations of non-payment of SSNIT contributions against the bishop.
Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
