Bright Simons enters appearance in GH¢10M defamation suit, demands key admissions from Ibrahim Mahama
Mr. Simons has formally responded to the GH¢10 million lawsuit brought against him by Mahama and his company, Engineers & Planners (E&P), by filing a motion at the Accra High Court that demands admissions to 38 crucial factual claims.
The defamation case between IMANI Africa Vice President Bright Simons and Ghanaian businessman Ibrahim Mahama is heating up, with new court filings signaling an intensifying legal confrontation.
Mr. Simons has formally responded to the GH¢10 million lawsuit brought against him by Mahama and his company, Engineers & Planners (E&P), by filing a motion at the Accra High Court that demands admissions to 38 crucial factual claims.
The motion calls on Mr. Mahama and E&P to confirm a wide range of details related to business operations, political affiliations, and financial dealings—especially those connected to the mining industry. The plaintiffs have 14 days to respond to the comprehensive set of requests.
Central to Mr. Simons’ motion is the assertion that Ibrahim Mahama is the sole shareholder of Engineers & Planners. He also asks the court to confirm Mahama’s status as a politically exposed person (PEP), given his relationship as the brother of former President John Dramani Mahama and previous classification by offshore law firm Appleby as “high-risk” in connection with a 2013 transaction involving Red Sky Aviation in the Isle of Man.
Further, the document sheds light on E&P’s extensive engagements in the mining sector, particularly its relationship with Abosso Goldfields Limited. Mr. Simons claims that contracts with Abosso—valued at $117 million between 2015 and 2019 and ballooning to $300 million from 2020 to 2025—represent a substantial portion of E&P’s earnings, with the Damang Gold Mine alone accounting for at least 25% of the firm’s mining revenue over the past decade.
Simons contends that following the suspension of operations at Damang in 2023, E&P has faced payment disruptions and mounting loan obligations. He cites ongoing negotiations with financial institutions, including Stanbic Bank Ghana, regarding difficulties in servicing loans.
According to the filing, E&P has borrowed more than $50 million from Stanbic and entered a $230 million equipment financing deal with the Mansour Group, mainly to acquire Caterpillar machinery.
Additionally, the motion touches on E&P’s failed attempt to purchase Cardinal Namdini Mines in Bolgatanga and efforts to source new financing for other mining projects. Simons also calls attention to the presence of former E&P employees in key regulatory roles at the Minerals Commission, raising questions about influence and potential conflicts of interest.
These demands for admission form a critical part of Mr. Simons’ legal defence, which challenges the defamation accusations made by Mahama. The businessman claims that Simons' public commentary has caused serious harm to both his personal reputation and that of his company.
