Ambolley apologises to Okyeame Kwame after defamation suit
Ghanaian music veteran Gyedu-Blay Ambolley has rendered an unqualified apology to rapper Okyeame Kwame following a defamation lawsuit.
Three years past, Ambolley alleged that the rapper was one of the musicians who received a share in the government ¢2 million meant for the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).
In an apology on LinkedIn, Ambolley noted that he was ‘mistaken’, explaining that MUSIGA’s former President Bice Osei Kuffour aka Obour did not personally hand over any government fund as a loan to Okyeame Kwame.
He admitted that his claims that the ‘Made In Ghana’ hitmaker did not repay the money he received were also false.
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“Obour did not give Okyeame Kwame a personal loan from MUSIGHA funds. To support artistes and enable them access loans, MUSIGHA entered an arrangement with Midland bank and provided security/collateral for the arrangement,” he wrote.
Mr Ambolley added that “Okyeame Kwame only took advantage of the initiative and applied for a loan from Midland bank which he was given.”
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He noted that the Hiplife artiste has also paid back the loan in full.
“To the extent that my earlier statements may have affected the reputation of Okyeame Kwame, I apologize and state that the errors in my statements were not made maliciously,” Ambolley added.
Background
In February 2020, musician Gyedu-Blay Ambolley alleged that few musicians in the country were the sole beneficiaries of the GH¢2 million government gave to MUSIGA.
He said in an interview on 3FM that the former President of MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kufuor the recipient of the cash then, is the one who shared the money meant for the union with the musicians close to him.
“When that money came Obour gave those surrounding him, ¢50,000. I know what I am saying, I am not fabricating anything,” he alleged.
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However, following his claims Okyeame Kwame threatened to sue the veteran artiste if he does not apologise within 72 hours.
But, in another interview on 3FM, Ambolley stated that he is not ready to apologise within 72 hours stating that he needed a week to make his checks and get back to Okyeame Kwame either with an apology or his facts.
According to him, he knows that something shady went on when MUSIGA was given the money.
But, he later Ibrahim Ben-Bako on Joy Prime, that he does not need the time to prove his allegations because the accountability would either justify his claims or Okyeame Kwame’s.
Okyeame Kwame later sued Ambolley for defamation.
A press release issued by Ambolley’s lawyers indicated that the parties settled the suit “in a court-connected mediation process” and as part of the settlement issued an apology.
Read his full apology below:
RE: Kwame Nsiah Apau v Gyedu-Blay Ambolley; Suit No. GJ/0792/2020 In the course of an interview on 3FM on the 22nd of February 2020 concerning the use of some funds donated by the Government of Ghana to Musicians Association of Ghana (MUSIGHA), I was mistaken concerning some of the details of the matter particularly with respect to my colleague musician and MUSIGHA member Kwame Nsiah Apau also known as Okyeame Kwame and I wish to correct and clarify those facts as follows: Obour did not give Okyeame Kwame a personal loan from MUSIGHA funds. To support artistes and enable them access loans, MUSIGHA entered an arrangement with Midland bank and provided security/collateral for the arrangement. Okyeame Kwame only took advantage of the initiative and applied for a loan from Midland bank which he was given. He has informed me that he has since paid back the bank in full. To the extent that my earlier statements may have affected the reputation of Okyeame Kwame, I apologize and state that the errors in my statements were not made maliciously. Signed Gyedu-Blay Ambolley
