The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Kenneth Agyeman Attafuah has hauled one Yayra Koku before an Accra High Court for defamation.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs, including Mrs Joyce Agyeman Attafuah wife of the NIA boss say their clients between 7th July, 2022 and 18th August, 2022 were defamed by various social media publications of the defendant who is also a former staff of the NIA.
According to the lawyers, the defendant previously published similar defamatory matter about the NIA Boss between 2017 and 2021 but plaintiff ignored same, in the hope that defendant would desist from such unlawful conduct with time, but defendant has persisted in his unjustified attacks on his reputation.
The plaintiff further stated that the said defamatory statements were calculated to incite hatred among NPP party faithful and the general public, against him.
“Plaintiffs further state that the words were maliciously published with intent to expose the plaintiffs to public ridicule, hatred, calumny, vilification, contempt, disaffection, without just cause or excuse and to injure plaintiffs’ reputation” the statement of case said.
In the view of the lawyers of the Plaintiffs, the defendant is actuated by a desire to take revenge against Prof. Attifuah in particular for terminating defendant’s appointment at the NIA in 2017.
“Plaintiffs further state that the defendant is actuated by a desire to profit politically from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).”
“Plaintiffs aver that the defamatory matter have been seen and read by many people both in Ghana and abroad, with some of the readers making disparaging comments, including, “This country is rotten to the marrow. It can ‘t be saved?”
As a result the couple are seeking a declaration that the statements published by defendant of the plaintiffs on Facebook/internet which are further particularized in the statement of claim are defamatory.
Prof. Attafuah and his wife also want the court to take Special/compensatory damages of ten million Ghana Cedis against the defendant as well as aggravated damages for the defamation referred to.
Aside the order of injunction to restrain the defendant by himself or his servants or agents or otherwise howsoever described, from the publication, dissemination, posting, or distribution of false statements about the plaintiffs, on the internet or in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, the NIA Boss want an order directed at defendant to retract the defamatory publications made against him in the same prominence as the defamatory publications.