An Agona Swedru High Court has ordered a political party member from the Agona East Constituency to pay GH₵500,000 in damages after finding that defamatory statements he made on a television programme were untrue and injurious to the complainant’s reputation.
According to the court judgment, the defendant made the comments on a morning television show on Movement Television on December 13, 2024. The complainant brought a defamation suit, alleging that the statements made by the NPP member were false and had caused reputational harm.
In civil defamation cases in Ghana, a claimant must show that false statements were published about them, that they were injurious to reputation, and that the defendant is responsible for those publications. The High Court, having reviewed the evidence, found that these elements were established in the present matter.
The court’s order for GH₵500,000 in damages reflects the harm the complainant alleged his reputation suffered as a result of the broadcast. The record of proceedings indicates that the ruling was made after the court heard submissions from both sides, though the full details of the evidence were not disclosed in media reports.
The defendant, described in reporting as a member of the New Patriotic Party in Agona East, is required to comply with the judgment by paying the ordered amount. Ghanaian law provides for defamation claims to be remedied through monetary damages intended to compensate for the injury to reputation.
There has not yet been a public response from the defendant’s legal representatives or political party regarding an appeal or plans to challenge the decision. In defamation matters, parties may seek recourse to higher courts if they believe errors of law or fact affected the judgment.