We act as solicitors for Philip Addison whose attention has been drawn to a publication on the myjoyonline.com news portal dated November 25, 2020, with the above-cited title and we have his instructions to address the matters raised therein.

We wish to state emphatically and unequivocally that the said publication is fraught with blatant false information which is aimed at denting our client's hard- earned reputation in this country.

First of all, Lawyer Philip Addison is under no criminal investigation neither has he been invited by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or brought under any criminal summons to answer to any charges relating to the matters addressed in your publication.

For the records, the first directors of Merlin Gaming Ghana Limited were Francis Tachie-Menson, Peter Nkegbe and Eric Gbeho. The company was incorporated by the three directors with Mr Tachie-Menson holding 80% of the company's shares whiles the other two held 10% shares each.

A simple check at the Registrar General's Department would have revealed this fact which is known to all including Mr. Eric Gbeho. This is the state of affairs in Merlin Gaming Ghana Limited to date.

Mr. Philip Addison was duly appointed as a Company Secretary for Merlin Gaming Ghana Limited at a duly constituted EGM which was requisitioned by the majority shareholder, Mr. Francis Tachie-Menson who had the support of another shareholder, Mr. Peter Nkegbe, who together hold 90% of the shares of the Company. Lawyer Addison has therefore not engaged in any false impersonation as a company officer, neither has he aided and abetted the defrauding of Merlin Gaming Ghana Limited as alleged.

It is instructive to note that the subject matter of your publication relates to issues which are before the High Court and where a matter is subjudice some restraint ought to be exercised in discussing its merits. Mr. Eric Gbeho has commenced proceedings in Court challenging the propriety of the appointment of Mr Addison as Company Secretary. Your publication is therefore calculated to undermine the administration of justice and demonstrably contemptuous in nature.

Had you exercised some caution and displayed professionalism in your reportage, it would have become apparent that the source of your information was not credible and you would have been minded to disregard same.

It is instructive to note that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, after its investigations following a complaint lodged by Mr. Eric Gbeho in a report dated 30^th July, 2020 came to the conclusion that Mr. Francis Tachie-Menson has at all material times been an 80% majority shareholder of the company and that the assertion by the complainant, Mr. Eric Gbeho that he is a 50% shareholder in the company is false. The Police indicated categorically in the last paragraph of their report that " per the findings> the offences of forgery of document, stealing and illegal transfer of shares could not be established against suspect Francis Tachie-Menson".

As a media house of great repute in this country, it is vital to churn out accurate information. A cursory check would have revealed that our client has not contested twice for the Korley Klottey seat but you failed abysmally in the exercise of your duty.

As alluded to earlier, our client was appointed company secretary by a resolution of the board. The company also duly appointed three signatories to its account, Mr. Tachie-Menson and Peter Nkegbe as the main signatories, and Philip Addison as a standby signatory in case of an emergency. Since Mr. Addison was made a signatory, he has not signed and/or executed any instrument to withdraw funds from the account of Merlin Gaming Ghana Limited.

Lastly, it is important to highlight that the complaint filed by Charles Zwennes against Mr. Philip Addison, Esq at the General Legal Council has been thrown out as being unmeritorious and if you had verified the information provided you, it would have become apparent that the allegations made against our client were utterly baseless.

You have by your publication, cast aspersions on the character of our client and it is evidently clear that no verification was done by you before publishing this image-tarnishing reportage.

We are therefore by this rejoinder, demanding an outright retraction and apology from you and further demand that this rejoinder clarifying the matters in your reportage be published to undo the damage done to our client's reputation.

You are hereby informed that our client demands that the above be done within twenty-four (24) hours upon receipt of this rejoinder or we would have no choice but to take legal action against you to vindicate our client's interest.

Be advised accordingly.