Court dismisses case against journalists

The Accra Fast Track High Court presided over by Justice Paul Dery, has dismissed a writ against three journalists, the Adansie newspaper and the publisher for lack of capacity and merit.

The court held that before a writ is issued in an action for libel, it shall be endorsed with a statement where the plaintiff sues in a representative capacity, giving sufficient particulars of the publication in respect of which the action is brought to enable them to be identified.

Justice Dery said the plaintiff; Nii Moi Allotei Brown failed to indorse the writ with sufficient particulars of the publication as required by law, by stating his capacity as the Sempe Mantse when he (Nii Moi Allotei) is not the legitimate chief of Sempe.

The defendants, Mr Henry Ayi Ado, Prosper Agbenyega and Thy Kingdom Judessey, all journalists for Accra-based Adansie newspaper and the publisher, Fantasy Productions, who exhibited a copy of a gazette notification in the Local Government Bulletin dated August 10, 1990.

It has been stated in the gazette that James Nee Allotey was enstooled on February 13, 1971 as Sempe Mantse, under the stool name Nii Adote Obuor II, in the Ga Traditional Area.