HON. DR. DOMINIC AKURITINGA AYINE vs. EVRON HUGHES

JUDGMENT BARTELS-KODWO (JA):- INTRODUCTION This is an appeal from the decision of the High Court, Accra dated 17th June 2019 which decision dismissed the Plaintiff/Appellant’s (hereinafter called ‚the Appellant‛) action brought against the Defendant/Respondent (hereinafter called‚the Respondent‛). BACKGROUND The Appellant, a politician, Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East, former Deputy Minister of Justice, a former lecturer at the School of Law at the University of Ghana and Managing Partner at Ayine & Felli, brought the instant action against the Defendant alleging defamation by the Defendant. By a writ of summons and accompanying statement of claim, the Appellant sued the Respondent seeking the reliefs reproduced verbatim below; i. A declaration that the publications pleaded at paragraphs 9 to 11 of the statement of claim to the effect that the Plaintiff is corrupt, a thief and fraudulent are defamatory to the Plaintiff. ii. General damages...