If all things being equal, the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, would be claiming GH¢20,000,000.00 compensatory damages from the Managing Editor of the Herald Newspaper, Larry-Alans Dogbey, for allegedly publishing false information about her.
In the suit filed on August 17, 2022, Madam Osei-Opare said the Herald publication, on 3rd August, 2022, titled: “More rot emerge from BOST with Chief of Staff named again!” had ridiculed and tarnished her hard won reputation in the eyes of right thinking members of society.
She argued that the headline of the story presupposed that the Chief of Staff was someone who had engaged in dishonest and illegal activities at BOST (Bulk Oil Storage and Transport).
According to her, the publication was malicious and carefully calculated to expose her to public hatred, since she was neither a staff of BOST nor Management/Board member.
The writ said although the plaintiff’s check reveals that there was a public auction of unserviceable vehicles at BOST, the proceeds of the auction were directly paid to the BOST account at Stanbic Bank, and not hers.
The suit further stated that per a Daily Graphic publication on April 29, 2022, the auction was not conducted in secrecy, as the auction sale was sanctioned by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
Similarly, there was no point in time that the plaintiff called to halt any auction midway during the process, as the Herald tried to make the public believe.
It said: “The plaintiff further avers that she has not engaged in any rot or used her office as the Chief of Staff of the President to engage in any “fraudulent disposal of some cars belonging to BOST.”
The suit, therefore, was seeking a declaration against Mr. Dogbey and Prime Mark Company Limited – The Herald – that the publication was made without any basis, and an order of injunction directed at the defendants, agents, assigns, and privies from making any further defamatory publication.
The writ also sought an order of the court directed at the defendants to retract the said publication, and render an unqualified apology in the same prominence as the defamatory publication, and other general damages.
