Kessben Begs Otumfuo Over Bribery Story

Kwabena Kesse, owner of Kessben FM, a top-private radio station in Kumasi, has rendered an unqualified apology to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Asanteman. Sounding calm and apologetic, Mr. Kesse, who owns a chain of businesses in Kumasi, said it was unfortunate that a false story about the Asantehene was aired by his station. He stated emphatically that the development was not intentional but rather a mishap by his outfit, assuring that Kessben FM had deeply regretted the harm caused to Otumfuo and Asanteman. Mr. Kesse, virtually on his knees, said his station had learnt its lesson and promised that the station would never use its airwaves to discuss any false story about the Asantehene in future. Kessben FM, on Monday, discussed a story in the New Free Press which accused Otumfuo of fronting for President Mahama to pay bribes to some justices of the Supreme Court which helped the respondents to win the election petition. Mr. Kesse, a staunch Christian, said on Kessben FM on Wednesday that �I beg the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Asanteman for every pain and discomfort that airing the story on my network had caused them.� He also extended similar apologies to the President, John Dramani Mahama and the nine justices of the Supreme Court. He distanced Kessben FM, as a radio station, from the story. According to him, everybody in the country was aware that the Asantehene frowns on traditional leaders indulging in partisan politics so �I am hurt that such a development had occurred.� Mr. Kesse said he was aware that the Asantehene was outside the country currently, stating that he would personally proceed to the Manhyia Palace to again render apologies to Otumfuo when he returns. Meanwhile, scores of people in Kumasi have commended the Kessben FM owner for the quick manner in which he stormed his station�s studios to render apology to Otumfuo and Asanteman. Commending Mr. Kesse for his levelheadedness, the people urged the media to always accept their fault and apologize accordingly to the people they offend for peace to prevail. On Monday, some suspected hoodlums had stormed the premises of Kessben FM in a brutal fashion, severely injuring a staff of the station. Oduro Kwarteng aka �Eleven Eleven� was at the station�s reception when two muscularly built men popularly called machomen stormed there around 9:30pm. These hoodlums immediately asked Kwarteng to direct them to the studios of the station; an order the Kessben FM staff did not heed to. Before Kwarteng could open his mouth to ask the goons about their mission at the station at that hour, one of them started beating him mercilessly. The said goon reportedly pummeled Kwarteng with hefty blows in the face until the hapless man became wea, before letting him go. According to reports, the suspects then descended from the third floor of Aseda house where the station is located. When they reached the ground floor one of the suspects reportedly said they had taken that weird action because the station had used its platform to malign Otumfuo. They threatened to return to the station in a brutal fashion next time to beat the entire staff of the station, and eventually set the Aseda House building on fire if the station continues to malign Otumfuo. The two goons then jumped into a waiting pickup vehicle in which two other men were seated and sped from the scene.