The Cape Coast High Court has exonerated the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, in a high-profile defamation case involving false claims circulated via a WhatsApp platform ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The court found two individuals — Stephen Cobbah and Yaw Korankye — guilty of defaming the MP on the “Assinman Politics Gh.” WhatsApp group, ordering them to jointly pay damages of GHS 700,000 and a cost of GHS 20,000 each.
According to court documents, the defamatory messages, which were shared on March 8 and 9, 2024, severely damaged the MP’s reputation during a politically sensitive period.
The Plaintiff, Rev. Ntim Fordjour, sought several reliefs in the suit, including:
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A declaration that the statements made by the Defendants on the WhatsApp platform were defamatory;
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Damages for libel and slander amounting to GHS 1,000,000;
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A perpetual injunction to restrain the Defendants from making similar defamatory statements;
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Retraction of the defamatory remarks with equal prominence;
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A written apology should be published on the same platform and on any other channels used for dissemination.
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Legal costs, including solicitor’s fees.
In its judgment dated April 28, 2025, the Cape Coast High Court granted most of the Plaintiff’s reliefs, specifically:
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A declaration that the statements were defamatory;
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GHS 700,000 in damages jointly and severally against the Defendants;
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GHS 20,000 costs each to be paid by the Defendants;
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A perpetual injunction barring further publication of defamatory content;
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An order for a retraction and unqualified written apology to be published on the same WhatsApp platform and any others used.
By: Ekow Annan/newsalertgh.com
