[2023]DLHC17042 Login to Read Full Case <span style="font-size: 18px !important;"><div class="WordSection1"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">DZANKU AGBEKO, KRAKASU SENYO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(PLAINTIFF/APPELLANTS)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua";color:#00B0F0">DIANA FUH<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">(DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">[HIGH COURT, HO]<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt; margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center; tab-stops:168.75pt 278.15pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua""> </span></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: 7.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">SUIT NO. E11/09/2022 DATE: 3<sup>RD</sup> MARCH, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;tab-stops:96.25pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">COUNSEL <o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: 7.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JOAN OSEI FOR E.A. AGBAKPE FOR PLAINTIFFS/APPELLANTS <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt: solid black 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JEMIMA ADDO FOR DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family: "Book Antiqua"">CORAM<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:7.5pt;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;mso-fareast-font-family: "Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">HER LADYSHIP JUSTICE CHARITY A. ASEM (MRS)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: black; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm; margin-left: 4.5pt; margin-right: 7.5pt;"> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;border:none; mso-border-top-alt:solid black 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid black 1.5pt; padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif; mso-fareast-font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:"Book Antiqua"">JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">On the 14<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt">th<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span></span>of December 2020 the plaintiffs/appellants (herein referred to as plaintiffs issued a writ of summons at the District Court Adaklu for the following claims against the defendant.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">a)<span style="letter-spacing:4.0pt"> </span>Gh¢10,000.00<span style="letter-spacing: -.05pt"> </span>being<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>general<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>damages<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>for defamation<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>of plaintiffs’ character to<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>wit slander words which defendant maliciously uttered against the plaintiffs to tarnish their good image without any provocation whatsoever in Ewe and to the hearing of other people in the community, “Mi dobe mia wum”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The above words when literally translate into English language means “You people have planned to kill me”.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 115%"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">In<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>their<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>statement<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>claim<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>which<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>is<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>found<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>at<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>page<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>5<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>and<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>6<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>record<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>appeal<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>they alleged that, they are Teacher and Police Assistance whilst the defendant is a Pastor. They all live at Adaklu Anfoe.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>It is their story that sometime in November 2020, the defendant went to the 1<span style="position: relative;top:-3.5pt;mso-text-raise:3.5pt">st<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span></span>plaintiff’s house and 2<span style="position:relative;top:-3.5pt; mso-text-raise:3.5pt">nd<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span></span>plaintiff’s office at Adaklu Waya and<span style="letter-spacing:-.35pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>the<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>presence<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>of<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>others<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>uttered<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>certain<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>words<span style="letter-spacing:-.45pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>wit<span style="letter-spacing:-.4pt"> </span>“Mido<span style="letter-spacing:-.25pt"> </span>be<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>mia<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>wum”<span style="letter-spacing:-.3pt"> </span>which when<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt"> </span>translated<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>in<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>English<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>language<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>means “You<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>people<span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt"> </span>have<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>planned<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>to<span style="letter-spacing:-.15pt"> </span>kill<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt"> </span>me”<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt"> </span>to the hearing of the general public.<span style="letter-spacing:2.0pt"> </span>The plaintiffs aver that these utterances of the defendant have injured their character and has caused them to lose respect and dignity before others in the vicinity.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", serif;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:-1.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: