Lawyer and member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has sued former Environment Minister, Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng for defamation and is demanding GHȼ10m.
A libel suit filed by Gabby against Prof. Frimpong-Boateng accuses the latter of defamation in his controversial report on activities of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, and apart from “The sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GHC10,000,000.00) as General Damages including Aggravated and/or Exemplary Damages for Defamation for libel”.
Gabby also wants him to apologise for and retract his words, as well as a perpetual injunction to restrain Prof Frimpong-Boateng from repeating the alleged offending words.
“An apology for and retraction of the words complained of and the particularized supra. A perpetual injunction restraining the defendant whether by himself, his servants, agents or assigns from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the plaintiff,” Mr Otchere-Darko demanded as part of his reliefs.
He also asks for an order for a perpetual injunction to restrain Prof Frimpong-Boateng, “whether by himself, his servants, agents or assigns from repeating similar or other defamatory words” against him (Gabby).
It’s been a fortnight since the report which details the fight against illegal mining in the country, authored by Prof Frimpong-Boateng, leaked.
Persons cited by the report to have played various roles to frustrate the work of the presidential committee, have all denied wrongdoing and have challenged the author to provide evidence. Gabby is the first to have sued Prof. Frimpong-Boateng for alleged defamation.
Below is the writ
