Ghana woke up on Saturday to a media storm, with numerous newspapers across Ghana featuring front-page stories about a defamation lawsuit filed against investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
The suit stems from references to the company in Manasseh’s book, The President Ghana Never Got, which has ignited controversy surrounding the company’s role in a disputed contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Finance.
The suit, which was filed in November 2024 but only surfaced recently, demands GHS 21 million in damages for alleged defamation caused by the portrayal of the SML deal as “the biggest scam” and “shady.”
But, the coordinated publications across several online portals and newspapers have raised eyebrows with Manasseh alleging that some media houses may have been induced to publish the stories.
Manasseh grounded his allegation on the revelation that an editor from a popular online news outlet had been approached by an unnamed source with an offer of money to publish the story.
“The editor of an online portal told me on Saturday that someone called to offer him money to publish the story, and he declined,” Manasseh wrote on his Facebook page.
The offer allegedly suggested that Manasseh was evading service of the writ. However, the editor declined, questioning the source’s motives.
SML’s legal team, led by Victoria Barth of Sam Okudzeto & Associates, also objects to Mr Azure’s characterization of SML’s claims of savings and services rendered as “falsehoods” and “lies.”
SML’s public grievance escalates a narrative that has already been the subject of intense scrutiny after a probe was triggered by President Akufo-Addo’s instruction for KPMG to investigate the matter.
This investigation, sparked by Manasseh’s original reporting, has cast a shadow over high-ranking government officials, most notably former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, who is currently under investigation for corruption-related offenses involving the SML contract.
The defamation case has raised eyebrows, especially given that it comes at a time when the Special Prosecutor has revealed ongoing investigations related to the SML contract.
Manasseh, who has been based in the United States since August 2024 for a year-long journalism fellowship at Harvard University, has clarified that the claims of evasion are unfounded.
He pointed out that SML had previously filed a defamation suit in February 2024 for the same matter, and the court had served him the writ through substituted service due to his international location.
In response to the fresh legal action, Manasseh assured the public that his lawyers are already taking steps to ensure the writ is properly served so he can legally address the claims in court.
He emphasized his long-standing commitment to transparency, stating that this suit represents the 11th defamation action against him since 2015, and he has never shied away from defending his work.
“I am a law-abiding citizen. I have never run away from any suit, and I will continue to defend myself and my work. My investigations have saved Ghana hundreds of millions of dollars, led to significant reforms, and contributed to successful prosecutions,” he said.