The Human Rights Court in Kumasi will give judgment on the case in, which the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has been sued by Mr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, on June 30, 2022.
Mr Spio-Gabrah has sued Mr Boasiako, popularly called ‘Wontumi’, and his Television (TV) network, for defamation, as he claimed Mr Boasiako called him a thief on live TV show, in September, 2020.
The court, presided by Justice George Krofa Addai, last Wednesday, asked counsel of Mr Spio-Gabrah to submit his address before May 5,2022, for the counsel of MrBoasiako to respond within two weeks, before the judgment.
Both Mr Spio-Garbrah and Mr Boasiako were present at the court.
According to Mr Spio-Garbrah (plaintiff) the defamatory words were uttered, without caution by the defendant (Wontumi) in a malicious manner with the intent to cause damage and injury to his hard-earned global reputation, and is demanding 10 million US dollars as damages.
Lawyers for Mr Boasiako( first defendant) and his TV network (second defendant) had finished cross- examining the plaintiff.
The writ said Mr Boasiako called the plaintiff a thief on a political show on the TV owned by Mr Boasiakoon September 10, 2020.
According to the writ, Wontumi said: “All that Inusah Fuseini is saying is that even him, InusahFuseini is a thief. If you mention Spio-Garbrah’s name he is a thief, Sylvester Mensah is a thief, JohsuaAlabi is a thief, all their Presidential candidates are thieves so if John Mahama is a thief then let us allow him to continue stealing.”
It is not clear yet what specifically was being discussed during that morning show that elicited the supposed comments by ‘Wontumi.’
NiiKpakpo Samoa Addo, counsel for Mr Spio-Gabrah, the plaintiff had held global positions, been a former Ambassador of Ghana, cabinet minister, in different National Democratic Congress Party’s administration in the country.
This, NiiAddo said meant “he has his reputation to protect and quantified the value of his global reputation as being $10 million minimum. So the court should look at the person making the statement and give him justice”.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE,KUMASI
