Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, a private legal practitioner (plaintiff), has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kofi Akpaloo (1st Defendant), the Presidential Candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG). Mr. Akpaloo is being sued alongside Excellence In Broadcasting (EIB) Network, the owner of GHOne Television (2nd Defendant), for permitting Mr. Akpaloo to use its platform to make defamatory claims against Mr. Tsikata.
In his statement of claim, the plaintiff asserts that during an interview on GHOne on November 19, 2024, Mr. Akpaloo, as part of his Presidential campaign, falsely claimed that Mr. Tsikata's statement about conditions being better under President Mahama was driven by the fact that "he was getting contracts under Mahama" and "he was getting the best deals." Mr. Tsikata, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, said Mr. Akpaloo further implied that those "getting the goodies" were the ones expressing positive opinions about President Mahama.
The plaintiff contends that Mr. Akpaloo’s statements, broadcast on GHOne, were false and damaged his reputation in the eyes of reasonable members of society. He argues that the natural and ordinary meaning of Mr. Akpaloo’s words suggested that Mr. Tsikata’s opinions on President Mahama were motivated solely by self-interest, specifically due to receiving favorable contracts and deals under the former president.
Mr. Tsikata asserts that these words painted him as a person whose views were tainted by personal gain, thus diminishing his standing in society. He further claims the defamatory statements portrayed him as someone who had benefited from favors under President Mahama, thereby casting doubt on the trustworthiness of his opinion.
As a result, the plaintiff seeks a mandatory injunction requiring the defendants to publish an apology in the same manner as the defamatory statements were made, along with a retraction and withdrawal of Mr. Akpaloo’s false claims. He also demands that GHOne add an apology and retraction to the interview on its website and social media platforms. Additionally, Mr. Tsikata seeks punitive costs against Mr. Akpaloo.
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