Two government officials have sued Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as Captain Smart, and Media General Ghana Limited.
The two, Minister for Works and Housing Francis Asenso-Boakye, and Board chair of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Paul Adom Otchere, are demanding GH¢10 million each as compensation for damages in defamatory comments against them.
In a write of summons, Adom-Otchere is, among other things, demanding GH¢10 million as compensation for damages and also “compensatory damages for the damage done to his reputation and aggravated damages for the reckless and malicious publication of the defamatory words.”
He is also seeking an order from the court directing the defendants to retract and apologise for the comments “on all media platforms operated by the 2nd defendant” as well as an “injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing and causing to be published the said similar words defamatory of the plaintiff.”
Francis Asenso-Boakye, in a separate writ of summons, has also sued him for defamatory comments after he allegedly published false news about him.
Captain Smart alleged Francis Asenso-Boakye, who was then the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, used his influence to stop one Adubufuor, a staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), from being transferred so investigations could be conducted into some alleged misconduct.
But the minister denied these allegations and has, through his lawyers, demanded an apology and retraction within seven days from the defendants.
He is also demanding a total of GH¢10million for the alleged defamatory publication.
“A declaration that the words complained of in paragraph 9 and published by the 1st Defendant on the 2nd Defendant’s platforms are defamatory of the Plaintiff’s character.
“An order of the Honourable court for a perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant, its agents, assigns, servants and any person claiming authority through it from utilising its platforms for the propagation of false and malicious statements about the Plaintiff,” the writ of summons states.
