The High Court’s General Jurisdiction 1 has dismissed a GH¢15 million defamation action brought by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin against Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi over alleged defamatory statements.
The court held that the writ initiating the action was incurably defective and incompetent, meaning it could not properly confer jurisdiction on the court.
In its ruling, the court relied on Coleman v Newmont in addressing the applicable procedural rule and Owusu Domena on the need for objections to be raised promptly.
The decision brings the proceedings initiated under the defective writ to an end. However, the ruling does not determine whether the statements at the centre of the dispute were defamatory.
Mr Afenyo-Markin announced the lawsuit in Parliament on August 24, 2026, following allegations of extortion made against him in connection with a dispute involving GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The suit also listed Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant.
The Minority Leader denied the allegations, maintaining that they were false and intended to damage his reputation.
The legal dispute was subsequently accompanied by disagreements over service of the court documents.
Mr Gyamfi authorised his lawyers, Ayine & Partners, to accept the writ on his behalf. Mr Afenyo-Markin’s legal team later maintained that service had been completed, rejecting suggestions that the Minority Leader was avoiding the process.
The ruling brings the current proceedings to an end on procedural grounds, leaving the substantive defamation allegations unresolved, as the court did not determine the merits of the case.
