Barker-Vormawor vs Kan-Dapaah: Court throws out dismissal application, fines Oliver GH¢3K

The High Court in Accra has reportedly thrown out an application by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a member of the #FixtheCountry Movement, to dismiss the GH¢ 10 million defamation suit filed against him by the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah.

According to GHOne TV, the court in addition to dismissing the application, also fined Barker-Vormawor, GH¢3, 000.

In an affidavit in support of the motion on notice for an order to dismiss the suit, dated November 29, 2023, Barker-Vormawor, a private legal practitioner, argued that the minister cannot institute or conduct civil matters related to the functions he performs on behalf of the state.

He said that the alleged defamatory words were directed at the state or its functionaries and not personally at the minister.

He contended that the matters forming the basis of the defamation claims are exclusively linked to the minister's performance of state functions.

Kan-Dapaah filed a defamation suit against Barker-Vormawor after the latter claimed that National Security officials, including government representatives, met him in 2021 and offered him money to silence his activism.

He asserted that he was offered $1 million and lucrative government positions to cease his activities critical of the government.

Watch a video from the court after the proceedings on Thursday:

GHc10M defamation case: National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah in Court as an application from Oliver Barker-Vormawor seeking a dismissal of his (Kan DAPAAH’s) GHc10 million defamation case has been dismissed. Cost of GHc3, 000 awarded against applicant #GHOnenews pic.twitter.com/VGTuMRZi6s

— GHOne TV (@GHOneTV) December 14, 2023