The High Court in Agona Swedru has awarded GH¢500,000 in general damages against Kwame Egyire Annan, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Agona East Constituency, for making defamatory remarks against Prof. Kwesi Yankah, the party’s parliamentary candidate for the 2020 general elections.
The court also awarded GH¢5,000 in costs in favour of the plaintiff.
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Felix Datsumor, held that the comments made by the defendant against Prof. Yankah were false and defamatory. The judge consequently restrained Mr Annan from making any further defamatory statements against the plaintiff.
The court further ordered Mr Annan to retract the statements and issue a formal apology to Prof. Yankah using the same medium through which the comments were originally made. The judge urged the plaintiff to accept the apology.
Mr Annan was reported to have made the defamatory remarks on December 13, 2024, during a morning show on Movement Television hosted by Kweku Dawurow. He alleged that Prof. Yankah failed to properly utilise funds, logistics, and other resources provided for his 2020 parliamentary campaign. He further claimed that Prof. Yankah refused to release campaign funds and materials to the party, an action he alleged contributed to the NPP’s defeat in the Agona East Constituency.
Speaking to the media after the ruling, counsel for the plaintiff, Justice Abudulai, expressed gratitude to the court for the judgment, although he noted that the legal team had sought GH¢1 million in damages.
He used the occasion to caution politicians to be circumspect in their public utterances, stressing that responsible speech is essential for the growth of democracy in the country.
The ruling serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of unsubstantiated public statements that damage reputations, particularly in political contexts.
