A request by Lawyers for Charles Nii Armah Mensah popularly known as Shatta Wale for an out of Court settlement in a defamation case filed against him by Lawrence Asiamah Hanson also known as Bulldog has been granted.
The Artiste manager, Bulldog had sued Dancehall musician, Shatta Wale over claims of defamation.
Bulldog who is the plaintiff is seeking damages for the alleged defamation and same for malicious publication of falsehood against him by the defendant.
“The series of publication that the Defendant has made and continues to make about the Plaintiff are actuated by plain malice,” the writ filed by Bulldog’s Lawyer, Justice Srem-Sai said.
In court on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, lawyers of the plaintiff led by Dr. Justice Srem-Sai told the court that the parties have started negotiations for settlement and would need a month adjournment.
This, he said is the reason they were unable to file the written submissions as per the orders of the court.
“We wish to pray for one more adjournment to attempt settlement and depending on the outcome we may apply formally for extension of time to file our witness statement,” Dr Justice Srem-Sai told the court.
Justice Joseph Adu Agyemang Owusu, presiding over the General Jurisdiction 13 of the Accra High Court after listening to the parties encouraged them to settle the matter out of court.
According to EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, Shatta Wale and Bulldog were present and were spotted having a friendly conversation.
The case has been adjourned to April 18, 2023.
Reliefs
The plaintiff is seeking the following reliefs
1.A declaration of the Court that the series of publications made by the Defendant as particularised in the Statement of Claim are defamatory to the Plaintiff.
- A declaration of the Court that the series of publications made by the Defendant in the Statement of Claim are malicious.
- An order of the Court directed at the Defendant to on all his social media pages or accounts, make a publication on seven (7) consecutive days of an unqualified retraction of and unreserved apology for the defamatory words that the Defendant has published about the Plaintiff, such retraction and apology to be vetted and approved by the Plaintiff’s lawyers.
- An order of the Court for perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant, his agents, workmen, assigns and servants from publishing or further publishing any defamatory words against the Plaintiff.
- General damages for defamation.
- Special damages for defamation.
- Punitive damages for malicious publication of falsehood against the Plaintiff.
- Cost, and
- Any other orders or remedies that the Court may deem fit
Background
On November 02, 2022, Shatta Wale was said to have made a publication on his Facebook page implicating his former manager, Bulldog in the murder of Fennec Okyere among others.
Upon this the Ghana Police Service to open investigations into the defendant’s publications.
Fennec Okyere, who was the manager of controversial musician, Kwaw Kese, was murdered at his Manet Gardens residence on the Spintex Road, Accra on Thursday, March 13, 2014 by unknown assailants. He died at age 31.
Lawrence Nana Asiama Hanson was picked up by the Police Criminal Investigative Department (CID) as a suspect in the death of Fennec Okyere.
This was because Bullgod (then known as Bulldog) who had regular beefs with Fennec Okyere, had supposedly threatened him in an interview.
In 2017, the courts, on the advice of the Attorney-General that there was no evidence against the accused, discharged Bulldog.
