BENJAMIN KWASI DUFFOUR (PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT) vs. BANK OF GHANA (1ST DEFENDANT) GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION GROUP LTD. (2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT) [2019]DLCA7756

BENJAMIN KWASI DUFFOUR (PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT) vs. BANK OF GHANA (1ST DEFENDANT)... [2019]DLCA7756

Date	2019-05-30
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO.: H1/67/2018
Citation No.	[2019]DLCA7756

DENNIS ADJEI JA (PRESIDING)

ACKAH-YENSU JA

POKU-ACHEAMPONG JA

KWAME FOSU GYEABOUR FOR PLAINTIFF/RESPONDENT

J. OPOKU AGYEI FOR 2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT

[2019]DLCA7756
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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><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p>BANK OF GHANA<o:p></o:p>(1ST DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION GROUP LTD.<o:p></o:p>(2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT)<o:p></o:p>[COURT
OF APPEAL, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding: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; &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;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="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

J.
OPOKU AGYEI FOR 2ND DEFENDANT/APPELLANT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

DENNIS
ADJEI JA (PRESIDING), ACKAH-YENSU JA, POKU-ACHEAMPONG JA<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

</div>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>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>