Transport Minister Kwaku Ofori Asiamah has filed a GHS 5 million defamation suit against “The Law Platform” and its editor over an article published on May 7, 2024, with the headline “Transport Minister and his wife dragged to court for ‘land grabbing’ using state security.”
The article alleged that the Minister and his wife were due in court for unlawfully entering and trespassing on land at the Tse Addo residential enclave.
The Minister’s lawyers, Addo and Addo Legal Attorneys, had earlier served a demand notice on the media outlet, requesting a retraction and apology within 24 hours. However, the outlet failed to comply, leading to the filing of the lawsuit.
According to the statement of claim, the Minister’s reputational value is worth more than GHS 5 million due to his professional and public service. The publication is deemed defamatory and has caused significant harm to his personal and professional standing.
The Minister is seeking seven reliefs from the court, including a declaration that the statement is defamatory, an order for retraction and apology, general damages, aggravated damages, punitive damages, compensatory damages, and costs.
The Law Platform, an online law magazine founded in 2021, aims to provide scholarly and non-scholarly content related to law. Its founder and lead editor, Jonathan Owusu Asare, is a lawyer specializing in financial markets law and regulation.
The case highlights the importance of responsible journalism and the need for media outlets to verify information before publication to avoid causing harm to individuals’ reputations.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0256336062/0248250270.
