Court slaps GHc5 million defamation award against Barker-Vormawor in Favour of Kan Dapaah

The High Court in Accra has ordered social activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor to pay GH¢5 million in damages to former National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah after ruling that defamatory claims were made against him.

In addition to the damages, the court awarded GH¢100,000 in costs to Mr Kan Dapaah.

Delivering judgment, Justice (Rev.) Joseph Owusu Adu-Agyeman upheld nearly all the reliefs sought by the former minister. However, the judge reduced the original GH¢10 million compensation claim by half.

“All the reliefs claimed by the Plaintiff are granted, except that the compensation claim of GH¢10 million is reduced to GH¢5 million,” the court ruled.

Before the final decision was handed down, lawyers for Mr Barker-Vormawor, led by Baffour Gyau Bonsu Ashia, attempted to relist their Statement of Defence and accompanying Witness Statement, which had earlier been struck out.

The application was dismissed on grounds that it was inconsistent with procedural rules.

The lawsuit stemmed from allegations made by Mr Barker-Vormawor, a leading figure of the FixTheCountry movement, who claimed that he had been offered $1 million by National Security officials to halt his activism against the government.

Mr Kan Dapaah firmly denied the allegation and subsequently initiated legal action, arguing that the claims severely damaged his reputation.

In his suit, the former minister sought GH¢10 million in general, aggravated, and exemplary damages. He also requested a public apology and retraction, as well as a perpetual injunction restraining Mr Barker-Vormawor from making similar statements in the future.

With the court’s ruling, Mr Kan Dapaah secures both financial compensation and judicial affirmation of his claims of defamation, marking a significant conclusion to the high-profile legal battle.