PAUL AZEKA vs. WORLD VISION GHANA GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LTD. [2020]DLHC10547

Date	2020-07-24
Suit No.	SUIT NO: GJ/99/2017
Citation No.	[2020]DLHC10547

KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO J

MR. ABA EWUSIE MENSAH H/B OF NUTIFAFA NUTSUKPUI FOR THE PLAINTIFF – PRESENT

MR. ROBERT QUARTEY FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT – PRESENT

MR. STEPHEN SAH WITH PEGGY ADDO FOR THE 2ND DEFENDANT – PRESENT

[2020]DLHC10547
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PAUL AZEKA<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>WORLD VISION GHANA<o:p></o:p>GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS
GROUP LTD.<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANTS)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH
COURT, 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;">

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR. ABA EWUSIE MENSAH H/B OF NUTIFAFA
NUTSUKPUI FOR THE PLAINTIFF – PRESENT<o:p></o:p>MR. ROBERT QUARTEY FOR THE 1ST
DEFENDANT – PRESENT<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;">

MR.
STEPHEN SAH WITH PEGGY ADDO FOR THE 2ND DEFENDANT – PRESENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p>KWEKU T. ACKAAH-BOAFO, J<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="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;line-height:150%;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Introduction<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-fareast-language:EN-CA">:<o:p></o:p>[<a name="par1">1</a>]&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;&nbsp; The 1st Defendant, World Vision International (Ghana), a Christian
Non-Governmental Organization mainly responsible for the implementation of area
development programmes and special projects, published a disclaimer on Thursday
March 3, 2016 in the Daily Graphic with the photograph of the Plaintiff Paul
Azeka to the effect that he had ceased to work for them and therefore “The WVG
hereby brings to the attention of all beneficiaries of the services provided by
the WVG, all persons who were dealing with Mr. Azeka, at the time he was an
employee of WVG and the general public that the said Mr. Azeka is no longer in
the employment of WVG”. At the time the publication was made the Plaintiff had
declined an invitation to appear before an investigative committee set up by
the 1st Defendant. <o:p></o:p>[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In this suit the
Plaintiff seeks damages for defamation and an order directed at the 1st
Defendant for the payment of his redundancy package and other benefits. Mr. Azeka
contends that the words in the publication were not tactfully used but were actuated
by malice because the publication was calculated solely to disparage him and
lower his reputation in the estimation of right thinking members in the
society. He also says the publication has caused him embarrassment and distress
and also prevented him from gaining new employment. He has therefore called on
this Court to award damages against the Defendants for their actions.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-MY" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-MY">ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The
Action &amp; Defences:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-MY" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-MY">[3]<span lang="EN-MY" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN-MY">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The reliefs endorsed on the Amended Writ of Summons filed on February 17,
2017 at the Court’s registry by the Plaintiff are as follows:-<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp; Damages
for defamation including exemplary damages in the sum of GH¢1,000,000.00
against the Defe</main>