BENJAMIN KWASI DUFFOUR vs. BANK OF GHANA AND GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION GROUP LTD [2019]DLCA10015

Date	2019-05-30
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.: H1/67/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA10015

DENNIS ADJEI

JA (PRESIDING)

ACKAH-YENSU

POKU-ACHEAMPONG JA

KWAME FOSU GYEABOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

J. OPOKU AGYEI FOR 2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

[2019]DLCA10015
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >BENJAMIN KWASI DUFFOUR<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA AND GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION GROUP LTD <o:p></o:p>(1ST
DEFENDANT/2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">CIVIL APPEAL NO.: H1/67/2018&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE:30TH
MAY, 2019<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>KWAME
FOSU GYEABOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">J.
OPOKU AGYEI FOR 2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>DENNIS ADJEI, JA
(PRESIDING), ACKAH-YENSU, POKU-ACHEAMPONG JA<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:
.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:
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0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;ACKAH-YENSU,
JA<o:p></o:p>This appeal concerns
the dichotic relationship between two fundamental rights:&nbsp; freedom of expression and protection of
reputation.&nbsp; It raises issues as to the
meaning of the word “defamatory” and the nature of an action for defamation.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The facts can be
stated quite concisely.&nbsp; The
Plaintiff/Respondent, Benjamin Kwasi Duffour, (to be referred to hereafter
simply as the “Respondent”), was an employee of the Bank of Ghana (1st
Defendant in the suit at the trial court), and also at all material times, the
Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of the Bank.&nbsp; The 2nd Defendant/Appellant,
Graphic Communication Group Ltd, (also to be referred to simply as the
“Appellant”), are the publishers and owners of one of the leading daily newspapers,
the “Daily Graphic”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In the issue of the
Daily Graphic of Monday June 30, 2008, there was a headline on the front page,
to wit “Bank of Ghana dismisses two
trade union leaders”.&nbsp; The main story
was published on page 24 of the newspaper, and it stated inter alia, that:<o:p></o:p>“According
to reliable sources at the bank, the Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Duffour, and the
Secretary, Mr. Frank Mensah, were handed their dismissal letters last Friday
and their identity cards, which allow them entry into the bank’s premises taken
from them.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;One
source said the bank’s security head was given a copy of the dismissal letters
and instructed to retrieve the identity cards from the two (2) workers”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; <o:p></o:p>On March 4, 2011, the
Respondent caused a writ of summons to issue against the Defendants jointly and
severally claiming, inter alia, Twenty
Million Ghana Cedis (GH¢20,000,000.00) in general damages for defamation.&nbsp; Respondent’s case was that, his personal
reputation and professional integrity had been seriously damaged and continued
to be irreparably damaged by the said disparaging and damaging
publication.&nbsp; He particularized the
damage as follows:<o:p></o:p>“a) The said publication has brought plaintiff into
public scandal, odium, ridicule and contempt among his colleagues, certain
individuals and the general public.<o:p></o:p>b)&nbsp;&nbsp; The plaintiff’s employment prospect has been
seriously dimmed and damaged.<o:p></o:p>c)&nbsp;&nbsp; The publication has discredited plaintiff’s
profession and trade.<o:p></o:p>d)&nbsp; The publication has caused or has propensity
to cause other persons and the public to avoid plaintiff. <o:p></o:p>e.&nbsp;&nbsp; The publication has lowered and continued to
lower the plaintiff in the estimation of right-thinking members of society
generally”.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;The Appellant herein
admitted publishing the alleged defamatory article in its paper, the Daily
Graphic, but denied that the pu</main>