Defamation Suit: Court grants Shatta Wale, Bulldog’s request for settlement
The Accra High Court has granted a request for Charles Nii Armah Mensah popularly known as Shatta Wale and Lawrence Asiamah Hanson also known as Bulldog to settle their defamation case out of court.
Bulldog who is the plaintiff had sued the Dancehall musician over claims of defamation.
The artiste manager is seeking damages for the alleged defamation and the same for malicious publication of falsehood against him by the defendant.
“The series of publications that Defendant has made and continues to make about Plaintiff are actuated by plain malice,” the writ filed by Bulldog’s Lawyer said.
During court proceedings on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, lawyers of the plaintiff led by Dr. Justice Srem-Sai told the court that the parties have begun negotiations for a settlement.
He, therefore, asked for the case to be adjourned for a month to enable them to file the written submissions as per the orders of the court.
“We wish to pray for one more adjournment to attempt a settlement and depending on the outcome we may apply formally for an extension of time to file our witness statement,” Dr. Justice Srem-Sai told the court.
Justice Joseph Adu Agyemang Owusu, presiding over the court encouraged the parties to settle the matter out of court after listening to them.
The case has been adjourned to April 18, 2023.
On 2 November 2022, Shatta Wale made a publication on his Facebook page implicating his former manager, Bulldog, in the murder of artiste manager Fennec Okyere, among others.
Fennec Okyere was the manager of Kwaw Kese.
He was murdered at his Manet Gardens residence on Spintex Road, Accra, on Thursday, March 13, 2014, by unknown assailants.
He was 31.
After Shatta Wale’s outburst on Facebook, Bulldog went to court to seek the following reliefs:
1. A declaration of the Court that the series of publications made by Defendant as particularised in the Statement of Claim are defamatory to Plaintiff.
2. A declaration of the Court that the series of publications made by Defendant in the Statement of Claim are malicious.
3. An order of the Court directed at Defendant to on all his social media pages or accounts, make a publication on seven (7) consecutive days of an unqualified retraction of and unreserved apology for the defamatory words that Defendant has published about Plaintiff, such retraction and apology to be vetted and approved by the Plaintiff’s lawyers.
4. An order of the Court for perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant, his agents, workmen, assigns, and servants from publishing or further publishing any defamatory words against the Plaintiff.
5. General damages for defamation.
6. Special damages for defamation.
7. Punitive damages for the malicious publication of falsehood against Plaintiff.
8. Cost, and
9. Any other orders or remedies that the Court may deem fit