Lawyers of Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah have served a writ to singer and dancer Akosua Agyepong to "immediately" retract and publicly apologise for defamatory words she has publicly spoken concerning their client Highlife musician Rex Omar.

The letter is dated, 20 June 2023 and was signed by respected musician and lawyer Ace Anan Ankomah of Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah.

"We are lawyers for Rex Owusu Marfo ('Rex Omar') ('Client') and we write to you upon his instructions," the letter opens.

It also identified Rex Omar as: "a musician, producer, entrepreneur and politician who has for over 40 years built an enviable and respectable brand and reputation for himself in Ghana and abroad" and "due to his outstanding commitment to the Ghana Music Industry, he was elected as Board Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation ('Ghamro') in 2017 and has held the position to date".

The letter also detailed the way and manner in which Akosua Agyepong has offended, in this case, brought into disrepute Rex Omar's name, brand and legacy.

"Upon our Client's assumption of office and to date," it said, "you have on several radio and television stations and other media platforms with wide coverage in Ghana, made spurious, false and unfounded claims against our Client and other Ghamro Executives. Without any evidential and lawful justification, you have described our Client, the members of the Ghamro board and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Abraham Adjetey as criminals and thieves."

Rex Omar's lawyers cited instances for the avoidance of doubt and ambiguity, as it were.

"On 25 May 2023 in an interview on Power Fm, you repeatedly called our Client a thief for stealing Ghamro funds. Further, in the interview, you falsely alleged that our Client has stolen items belonging to his brother-in-law, without lawful justification or proof," they said.

The writ noted Akosua Agyepong is yet to provide evidence to support her claims.

"Our client denied these allegations of stealing and on several occasions gave you the opportunity to investigate Ghamro's expenditure and/or to check the Auditor-General's report on Ghamro's expenditure to ascertain whether he has stolen Ghamro's funds. However, you have failed, neglected and/or refused to do so. Our Client has also demanded that you produce the evidence of the alleged stealing, which you have, till date, failed to do. Yet you have persisted in your malicious desire to publish these blatant falsehoods against our Client," it said.

The lawyers explained the damage sustained by Rex Omar as a result of Ms Agyapong's actions.

"Your false, malicious and reckless public utterances against our Client have negatively affected and lowered him in the eyes of right-thinking members of society and further exposed him and his family to public ridicule, contempt and opprobrium. Further, your false statements have not only caused harm to his reputation but has also caused him emotional distress and financial losses," they said.

Ms Agyapong was instructed to unreservedly apologise to Rex Omar "within 14 days" calculated from the day she receives the letter.

"We have our Client's instructions to demand from you, and accordingly we demand, that you publicly retract the defamatory statements made against him and render an unqualified apology to him for tarnishing his hard-earned reputation on all the media outlets you have used to defame him, within 14 days from the date of receipt of this letter. We further demand that you desist forthwith from making any further malicious and false public utterances against our Client," Rex Omar's lawyers instructed.

In conclusion, lawyer Ace Anan Ankomah and co served an ultimatum to Ms Agyapong but not after reminding her of their client's desire to settle their issues peacefully. 

They also reminded Akosua Agyapong of the past "cordial relationship" she shared with Rex Omar; indeed they were two-thirds of the 90s Highlife star trio Nakorex.

"Our Client acknowledges your previously cordial relationship with him and thus expects an amicable non-adversarial settlement of this matter in the terms stated above. However, should you fail to desist from, retract and apologise for the defamatory statements made against him as demanded, we have his instructions to use all available legal means to compel you to desist, retract and apologise for the defamatory statements you have made, with heavy damages, without further recourse to you," the letter noted, ending with: "Please be advised accordingly."

| The cover of a Nakorex tape, Highlife Volume 2, from 1994 | From top to bottom: Amanzeba Nat Brew, Akosua Agyapong and Rex Omar