SIDI vs. ISSAH

On or about 7 July 1986, Alhaji Sidi (hereinafter referred to as the defendant) sent a letter to the Secretary for Roads and Highways, Accra. On the face of the said letter a copy of it was addressed to Isaac Issah (hereinafter referred to as the plaintiff). In the view of the plaintiff, the said copied letter was defamatory of him. He sued the defendant in the High Court, Tamale for defamation. By his writ of summons, the plaintiff claimed against the defendant ¢10 million damages for libel. The case was heard on the merits. The learned trial judge concluded his written judgment as follows: “In the result I do say the plaintiff should succeed. I accordingly enter judgment for him. I award ¢1 million damages and ¢5,000 costs.” The defendant was aggrieved by the judgment of the trial court and appealed to this court on a number of grounds. Before us, one of the grounds of appeal forcefully argued by learned counsel for the defendant was that the learned trial judge erred in law ...