The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has been slapped with Gh¢500,000 damages for defaming Energy Minister Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh.
The High Court, Accra, General Jurisdiction 12, presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, delivered the judgement on Thursday 13th October 2022.
The court found that Sammy Gyamfi defamed Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who is also lawmaker for Manhyia South when Sammy Gyamfi, at a press conference in June 2019 stated that, Seidu Yakubu, one of the suspects involved in the kidnapping of the 2 Canadian girls in the year 2019, is an errand boy of Dr Opoku Prempeh.
The court also ordered Gyamfi to publish a retraction and an apology.
Background
In 2019, MP for Manhyia South, Matthew Opoku Prempeh sued Communications Officer for the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi for allegedly making defamatory comments that sought to link him to one of the accused persons in the Canadian women kidnapping case.
The plaintiff demanded from Mr. Gyamfi, a sum of one million cedis in damages.
Mr. Gyamfi is said to have stated during a press conference that there was a relationship between Dr. Opoku Prempeh popularly referred to as NAPO (Nana Poku) and Seidu Yakubu, one of the accused kidnappers.
“Seidu’s association with the NPP is more than meets the eye. He is alleged to be the personal bodyguard of the Asokore Mampong MCE, Alhaji Alidu Seidu, and an errand boy for both Manhyia MP, Hon Mathew Opoku Prempeh and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (aka Wontumi),” Mr. Gyamfi reportedly stated at the press conference.
The plaintiff in the suit, however, insisted that the statement is not “only false but malicious” as the said Seidu is not an “errand boy” for him.
Kidnapping operation
On June 4, 2019, the suspects in the kidnapping of the Canadian women were said to have rented a vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, and went searching for a victim to kidnap.
While roaming the town, they came across these two Canadians who had just sat in an Uber.
They followed the Uber and accosted the victims at the hostel where they were residing.
After kidnapping the two Canadians, the suspects drove the victims to an uncompleted building in Kumasi, got in touch with their family members and decided to ask for an $800,000 ransom.
Ghana security officials subsequently arrested the suspects and rescued the kidnapped Canadians.