The Accra Fast Track High Court has ordered General Portfolio Limited; Publishers of the Chronicle newspaper and three others to pay 200,000 cedis in damages for defaming an Immigration Officer; Isaac Dzihlornu.
Between October 7 and 11, 2014, the chronicle serialized some publications with headlines such as Security breach at Kotoka International Airport: Immigration officer preys on women using travel information and GIS Romeo Swindles T’di Beauty.
The paper, together with its publishing firm, General Portfolio Limited,were subsequently dragged to the court by the accused, to explain why he [Dzihlornu]had been subjected to such a defamatory reportage.
[contextly_sidebar id=”0XD30BUufPHg4S7jCxmXF2R8Unv6OCDO”]Also included in the suit are the acting Editor, Emmanuel Akli and the paper’s Business Editor, Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh.
The plaintiff also asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants, their agents, assigns and servants from a further publication of any defamatory words against him, in addition to cost he would incur in the trial process.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News,Dzihlornu said the publication compelled authorities at the Airport to unduly transfer him.
“When publication came, it was not quite long after I was transferred from the Kotoka International Airport to another station. I was at the Kotoka International Airport for only two years …”
Dzihlornu said he is excited that he had been vindicated by the court, saying “… this ruling has made me very very comfortable and happy”
The suit comes days after the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Kofi Portuphy sued Daily Guide for publishing a story he described as libelous and aimed at tarnishing his image.
In a related development, the National Media Commission(NMC) has asked the Alhajj Newspaper , the Ghanaian lens and others to apologise to Nana Akufo Addo.
However the editor of the Ghanaian lens has in a rebuttal lambasted the NMC for ordering him and four others to apologise for allegedly defaming Nana Akufo Addo.
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah