Sammy Gyamfi
An Accra High Court has ordered lawyers for Minister of Education, Martin Opoku Prempeh aka Napo to serve the Communications office of the opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi through substituted service.
According to the court, the plaintiff can go ahead and publish his defamation suit against the defendant in the Daily Graphic newspaper as well post it on the notice board of the Accra High Courts.
The order follows an application by the lawyer for Dr. Prempeh for an order for substituted service after the NDC communications officer was allegedly swerving bailiffs to avoid being served.
Dr. Prempeh, who doubles as Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia South, dragged Sammy Gyamfi, to court for defamation.
In his statement of claim, he averred that Sammy Gyamfi had greatly injured his positive image by falsely linking him to one Seidu Yakubu, aka ‘Nba’, the alleged ringleader in the kidnapping of two Canadian girls in Kumasi recently.
The lawyers said the defendant’s statement had dented Napo’s image both in Ghana and abroad, considering the fact that the said statement was widely captured in the media and other electronic platforms.
The statement said over his entire public and private life, Napo has led a decent lifestyle worthy of emulation and so Sammy Gyamfi had no justification to link him with miscreants to dent his image.
According to him, Sammy Gyamfi, by his statement, intentionally portrayed Napo as a person who supports thuggery, kidnapping and other illegal acts without any proof.
Dr. Napo’s suit prayed the court to restrain Sammy Gyamfi and his agents from further making or publishing defamatory words against him.
They also urged the court to order Sammy Gyamfi to apologize and retract the defamatory statement with the same prominence the defamatory words received within seven days after the judgment.
Again, the plaintiff wants the court to fine Sammy Gyamfi GH¢1 million for allegedly making defamatory statements about him.
Aside from the huge cash fine, the writ of summons filed on June 25 by Sarkodie Baffuor Awuah & Partners, said Dr. Prempeh had asked the court to order Sammy Gyamfi to retract and apologize for the defamatory statement within seven days after the judgement.