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National Communications Director of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has been charged by the Accra High Court for defamation of Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah presiding over the case has therefore awarded damages to the tune of GHc 500,000 to the Energy Minister and ordered Sammy Gyamfi to publish a retraction and an apology.

The High Court, Accra, General Jurisdiction 12, presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, 13th October, 2022, in the case of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh v. Sammy Gyamfi finds that Sammy Gyamfi defamed Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Energy and MP for Manhyia South consituency.

It would be recalled that Sammy Gyamfi, at a press conference in June 2019, stated that Seidu Yakubu aka MBA, suspected of being involved in the kidnapping of the 2 Canadian girls in the year 2019, is the errand boy of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Statement of claim

In the plaintiff’s statement of claim, he averred that Sammy Gyamfi had greatly injured his positive image by falsely linking him to one Seidu Yakubu, aka ‘Mba’, the alleged ringleader in the kidnapping of the two Canadian girls in Kumasi.

The lawyers said the defendant’s statement had dented Napo’s image both in Ghana and abroad, considering the fact that the said statement was widely captured in the media and other electronic platforms.

The statement said over his entire public and private life, Napo has led a decent lifestyle worthy of emulation and so Sammy Gyamfi had no justification to link him with miscreants to dent his image.

According to him, Sammy Gyamfi, by his statement, intentionally portrayed Napo as a person who supports thuggery, kidnapping and other illegal acts without any proof.

Plaintiff’s request

Therefore, lawyers for Napo prayed the court to restrain Sammy Gyamfi and his agents from further making or publishing defamatory words against him.

They also urged the court to order Sammy Gyamfi to apologize and retract the defamatory statement with the same prominence the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.

By court

In court Thursday (13 October 2022), Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, in his judgment indicated that the plaintiff (Napo), has established that indeed Sammy Gyamfi by his comments defamed him (Matthew Opoku Prempeh).

The court awarded damages of GHC500,000.00 and restrain Sammy Gyamfi and and also ordered him and his agents from further making or publishing defamatory words against the Energy Minister.

The court also ordered Sammy Gyamfi, to apologise and retract the defamatory statement with the same prominence the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.