Sept. 26, 2006

AYCOTH SEES SMEAR JOB

EAW Group CEO John Aycoth testified Sept. 25 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that he is the victim of a smear campaign launched by Gambian government officials who are trying to destroy his reputation by alleging that he had an affair with that country's First Lady.

The firm is suing Gambia in an effort to recoup $500K in PR fees plus interest from '02 that it claims is owed to it.

Aycoth told the Court every time he visited Zeinab Suma Jammeh in her Washington hotel suit she was surrounding by her entourage and body guard. He denies any sexual relationship with the wife of President Yahya Jammeh.

Aycoth said John Bojang, Gambia's former Ambassador to the U.S., tipped him off about the smear campaign. That effort is geared to killing his relationship with Gambia's leader.

Aycoth has also said that he has received death threats because of the legal squabble.