Chief of Staff sues the Herald Newspaper for Defamation, claims GHC20 million as damages
On August 10, 2022, the Chief of Staff through her lawyers wrote to the newspaper demanding an immediate retraction and apology within 24 hours for its alleged defamatory publication pertaining to her alleged role in a car auction sale at the BOST.
The Chief of Staff at the Jubilee House, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare has filed a defamation suit against the Prime Mark Company Limited, owners of the Herald Newspaper, and Larry Alans Dogbey, Managing Director.
On August 10, 2022, the Chief of Staff through her lawyers wrote to the newspaper demanding an immediate retraction and apology within 24 hours for its alleged defamatory publication pertaining to her alleged role in a car auction sale at the BOST.
Subsequently, the Chief of Staff has filed a defamatory suit indicating per the Writ of Summons that the said post by the Newspaper captioned ‘More Rot Emerge from BOST with Chief of Staff Named Again!” portrays her as a person who engages in dishonest/illegal activities at BOST.
Additionally, the plaintiff notes that the defendant Newspaper’s statement that some cars were disposed of under mysterious circumstances relative to an auction being halted in the name of the Chief of Staff portrays her as a criminally minded person and one who encourages the commission of crime and illegality.
The Chief of Staff is therefore praying the court to grant inter alia;
A declaration that the defendant’s publication per the statement ‘ More Rot Emerge from BOST with Chief of Staff Named Again!” is defamatory and made without any basis.
A declaration that the defendant’s statement “The Herald is informed about some fraudulent disposal of some cars belonging to BOST. The cars were disposed of under mysterious circumstances after an auction was halted midway in the name of the Chief of Staff in the Office of the President, Akosua Frema Osei-0pare” is defamatory and made without any basis.
Furthermore, an order, directed at the Defendants to retract the said defamatory publication and render an unqualified apology in the same prominence as the defamatory publication.
Moreover, a claim for compensatory damages against the defendant in the sum of Twenty Million Ghana cedis (GHe20,000,000.00) for loss of reputation
