The General Jurisdiction High Court (12) in Accra has ordered Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, to pay GH¢500,000 in damages to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy.
This follows the court’s decision in favor of the minister in a defamation case he brought in 2019 against Sammy Gyamfi, which was heard by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah.
When he was the minister of education, Dr. Opoku Prempah filed a lawsuit against the NDC communicator for claiming that Seidu Mba, one of the suspects detained in connection with the kidnapping of two Canadian girls in Kumasi, was his (Dr. Prempah’s) errand boy.
Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah ruled during the hearing on Thursday (October 13, 2022) that Sammy Gyamfi had defamed Dr. Opoku Prempeh with his utterances.
Sammy Gyamfi was also fined GH¢500,000, and the judge also ordered him to apologize and recant his false remark within seven days of the ruling with the same prominence as the initial assertion.
“A declaration that the words complained of and published by the defendant and contained in paragraph 14 herein are defamatory of the Plaintiff’s character.
“An order of the honorable court directed at the defendant to publish an unqualified retraction and an apology with the same prominence of the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.
“An order of the honorable court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, assigns, servants and any person claiming authority from the defendant from further making/or publishing any defamatory words against the Plaintiff.
“The sum of One million Ghana Cedis (GHS1, 000,000) in damages for the defamation,” a declaration statement by the energy minister read.