Ghana: Kan Dapaah Gh¢10 Million Defamation Suit - Barker-Vormawor Enters Conditional Appearance

3 November 2023

The Convener of #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor, entered conditional appearance in the GH¢10million defamation case against him.

Mr Kan Dapaah, the Minister of National Security, sued Barker-Vormawor, a private legal practitioner and human rights activist, for allegedly making defamatory statements against him (Mr Dapaah).

Counsel for Barker-Vormawor, Justice Srem Sai, filed the conditional appearance on Thursday.

Prior to entering appearance, Mr Dapaah obtained an order of substituted service from the High Court, Accra, after unsuccessful attempts to make personal service on the defendant.

Barker-Vormawor stated in a Facebook post that Mr Dapaah offered him and others US$1 million in order to stop the #FixTheCountry Movement activism.

According to Barker-Vormawor "they went as far as offering us US$1 million, they offered us a committee appointment, set up a committee and appoint us to government positions in order to stop this activism. This was made directly to me and other leaders of #FixTheCountryMovement... This conversation we had with the Minister of National Security, the Minister of Finance and a Brigadier General at a safe home."

The National Security Minister denied the allegations and caused his counsel to issue a writ of summons against Barker-Vormawor.

Mr Dapaah is seeking a number of reliefs from the court, including a declaration that the words uttered by the defendant were defamatory of the plaintiff.

The minister urged the court to award GH¢10 million as general damages, aggravated and or exemplary damages for defamation for the words uttered by the defendant.

Mr Dapaah is also demanding an apology for and retraction of the words complained of, and a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the plaintiff and costs.

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