The Foreign Affairs Minister has sued the editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbe and the publisher of the newspaper, Prime Mark Company Limited, for defamation.
It is the case of Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey that a story published on the front page of the June 10, 2019 issue of The Herald newspaper with the headline “Judge Releases Minister’s Notorious Boy from Jail” defamed her.
According to her writ filed at the Accra High Court on July 16, 2019, by her counsel, Gary Nimako Marfo, the said story suggested that she had engaged in criminal activity by using her political influence “to order the release of a convicted criminal.”
She argues that the story was also published on the online portal of The Herald.
It is her contention that she had not and cannot order the release of any convicted criminal from prison since she has no such powers to do so.
“The defamatory statements published by the defendants were carefully calculated to tarnish the plaintiff’s image and hard-won reputation.
“The defamatory statements were made without any just cause and were intended to cause the plaintiff public ridicule, disaffection and to reduce her image in the eyes of right-thinking members of society,” she avers.
Reliefs
Ms Botchwey is seeking compensatory damages in the sum of ¢10 million for loss of reputation and order directed at the defendants to retract “ the defamatory publication and render unqualified apology in the same prominence as the defamatory publication.”
She also wants the court to declare the publication as defamatory and without basis and to order the defendants, their agents or assigns not to make further defamatory publication against her.
Latest Stories
-
Government working hard to complete Tema General Hospital project – Dr Okoe Boye
1 min -
Ipswich Town seal Premier League promotion after 22 years absence
6 mins -
Accord journalists the respect due them – Opare Gyan
6 mins -
EPL: Arsenal beat Bournemouth to go four points clear of Man City
16 mins -
Cecilia Dapaah’s case: What’s happening now is a clear indication of cover-up – Amaliba
17 mins -
I felt rejected by Ghanaians – AY Poyoo
31 mins -
Terrorist cell of five Daesh supporters dismantled in Essaouira
1 hour -
My former manager deleted my songs from streaming platforms – AY Poyoo
1 hour -
Afronita and Abigail get standing ovation at Britain’s Got Talent
2 hours -
Accused in murder of a military officer in Kasoa remanded
2 hours -
OSP cleared Cecilia Dapaah of corruption after investigations, not AG’s office – Godfred Dame
2 hours -
OSP only gave EOCO a narrow remit to investigate money laundering – A-G
2 hours -
Ghana’s Osman Bukari wins second successive Serbian Super League title with Red Star
2 hours -
GES bemoans growing tattooing, multiple-piercing, and bleaching among pupils
3 hours -
GRA-SML deal: Majority kicks against publication of KPMG audit report
3 hours