Exposé on Pedu Catholic Church dress code redicules me - Efua Sackey

A woman claiming to be the person in the photograph used by the St John the Baptist Catholic Church at Pedu in Cape Coast, Central Region, to illustrate acceptable dressing code to the church, has stated that the publication has exposed her to pubic ridicule. 

Mrs Efua Sackey insisted she was not a member of the Catholic Church, neither did she attend church at the St John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Safo and Marfo@ Law, lawyers for Mrs Sackey, said their client “had not permitted your paper or the Catholic Church in Pedu, Cape Coast, to use her pictures for the purpose of publishing the story which you carried in your newspaper.”

“Our client informs us that the use of her pictures with the publication has reduced her image in the eyes of right thinking members of society,” the law firm said in a rejoinder to the Daily Graphic signed by Mr Gary Marfo, Managing Partner. 

The Daily Graphic of April 25 reported that the St John the Baptist Catholic Church at Pedu,a suburb of Cape Coast in the Central Region, had banned what it describes as provocative dresses in the church by its members.

As a measure to effect the ban, the church posted pictures of unapproved dresses on its premises every Sunday.

Background 

The President of the Church Council, Mr Andrew Kofi Wosesor, reportedly told the Daily Graphic that the ban was necessary, as some of the dresses exposed vital parts of those wearing them. 

He said some female church members exposed their breasts and panties through the dresses they wore to church, an act which Christianity frowned upon.

According to him, dresses that exposed vital body parts of women tempted some 'weaker members' and even some of the priests. 

But lawyers for Mrs Sackey said the manner the picture was used amounted to defamation. 

“We are further instructed to point out to you that the use of our client’s pictures in the manner that you have sought to use with the story has lowered her estimation as same was done without any justification or lawful excuse done with such malice calculated to injure her reputation and expose her to hatred, ridicule and contempt.

“We wish to again point it out to you that our client has not worn any such dress to the said church and or exposed her breasts or panties while attending church service at St John the Baptist Catholic Church at Pedu in Cape Coast,” the statement said. 

Demands 

Mrs Sackey’s lawyers have six demands on the newspaper including publishing a full unqualified apology to her and a retraction of the publication attributed to her, which was published on April 25, 2016 in the Daily Graphic and on the Internet.

Other demands made by the law firm include “to give the apology and retraction on or before April 30, 2016 and to have the related defamatory publication on the Internet removed on or before 30th April, 2016.”

They also asked for an undertaking by the newspaper not to publish any further defamatory publication or images of their client. 

Further, they want the newspaper to confirm in writing that they would be responsible for their client’s legal cost incurred as a result of their action.

“Please be informed that you are required as a matter of urgency to confirm in writing the matters set out. Please be notified that our client reserves the right to pursue other legal remedies available to her should you fail to comply with the terms of this letter within the stipulated supra,” the statement said.