An Accra High Court has ruled in favour of Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, in a defamation case against Nathaniel Dekyi, also known as Nana Nyonwah Panyin IV of Dompim Pepesa in the Western Region and the Multimedia Group Limited.
Presided over by Justice Richard Apietu, the court found Nathaniel Dekyi and Multimedia Group Limited guilty of defaming Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah. As a result, the court awarded damages totalling one million Ghana cedis against the defendants.
The lawsuit stemmed from statements made by Nathaniel Dekyi during an interview on the Joy FM Super Morning Show, a program owned and operated by Multimedia Group Limited. In the interview, Dekyi allegedly made spurious allegations against Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah and two other government officials, accusing them of involvement in illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey,” in the Dompim Pepesa area of the Western Region.
Despite being prompted to retract and apologize for the defamatory statements, Nathaniel Dekyi reportedly refused to do so. Consequently, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah filed a writ of summons against Dekyi and Multimedia Group Limited on October 14, 2022, through his legal representatives, Parkwood & Mossane.
The Western Regional Minister emphasized that the allegations made by Nathaniel Dekyi were false, baseless, and unwarranted. Dekyi purportedly claimed to possess evidence of the Minister's involvement in illegal mining activities but failed to provide any substantiating evidence.
Furthermore, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah asserted that the publication of the defamatory material on Multimedia Group Limited's website had significantly tarnished his reputation. He stated that he had worked diligently to build an enviable reputation in his private, political, and professional life, making the publication particularly damaging to his image.
