Spio-Garbrah loses $10m defamation suit against Wontumi

A Kumasi High Court has reportedly dismissed a defamation suit filed by former Trade and Industry Minister Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah against Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Wontumi.

The former minister, who was demanding damages to the tune of $10 million, also named Wontumui Multimedia Company Limited, owned

Read full articleby the NPP chairman, as the second defendant in his suit.

According to him, Wontumi, during a discussion on his Wontumi TV and radio stations, defamed him by calling him a thief.

“All that Inusah Fuseini is saying is that even him, Inusah Fuseini, is a thief. If you mention Spio-Garbrah’s name, he is a thief, Sylvester Mensah is a thief, Johsua Alabi is a thief, all their presidential candidates are thieves, so if John Mahama is a thief, then let us allow him to continue stealing,” the former minister quoted Wontumi in his writ.

He adduced that the words used by Wontumi were uttered without caution by the defendant with the intent to cause damage and injury to his hard-earned global reputation, which he values in excess of ten million dollars.

“The Plaintiff says that the defamatory words were uttered, without caution by the defendant in a malicious manner with the intent to cause damage and injury to the plaintiff’s hard-earned global reputation,” he argued in his writ.

Wontumi, in his written response to the suit, argued that he meant no malice but was only interpreting the statement made by Mr. Inusah Fuseni.

A report by Wontumionline.com sighted by GhanaWeb claimed that the court slapped a fine of GHC150,000 against the applicant after determining that his case was without merit.

The fine, according to the report, is to be paid to the defendant by the applicant.

TWI NEWS