GH¢2.95m defamation judgment: ‘Bragging’ Kevin Taylor will soon cry like a baby – Lawyer

A private legal practitioner, Sulley Sambian has revealed that social media commentator Journalist Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor could soon cry like a baby in pain over the GH¢2.95 million defamation judgment against him.

On Monday, February 24, 2020, an Accra High Court slapped GH¢2.95 million defamation judgment on Kevin Taylor for damaging the reputation of lawyer Ace Ankomah.

The breakdown of the damages is General Damages of GH¢2,000,000; Aggravated Damages of GH¢500,000; and Exemplary Damages of GH¢400,000.

The court also ordered a perpetual injunction to restrain the publication of further material and asked the defendants to publish apology within 14 days as well as a mandatory injunction compelling defendants to remove offending material within 14 days; and costs of GH¢50,000.

The Court described Taylor’s comments as “cavalier” said that when the plaintiff called his bluff and dared him by suing him, Taylor did not “have the cojones to respond” in spite of him creating the impression of being able to appear anywhere to defend his “bombastic video.”

The Court held that it had jurisdiction in the matter because, although the defendants are outside Ghana, the defamatory matter was intended to be shared in Ghana, received considerable interest in Ghana, was downloaded in Ghana where the plaintiff has ties and that injury to the plaintiff in Ghana was foreseeable.

Kevin Taylor, however, stated that the private legal practitioner Ace Ankomah has filed a defamation case against a ghost in Ghana, which has resulted in damages of GHS2.95 million awarded against the defendant

Speaking on his programme With All Due Respect following the judgement, Mr Taylor said: “I have a silver bullet for Ace Ankomah and I’m going to release it”, adding: “I’m not done with Ace Ankomah”.

“If anybody is listening, tell Ace Ankomah I said: ‘I’m not done with you’”, Mr Taylor said.

He added “The basis of Ace Ankomah’s case is weak like some old man’s balls” and further described the various media houses that reported on the matter as “idiots”.

“I want people to understand that Ace Ankomah isn’t suing me Kevin. The name on that thing is Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor, I can confidently tell you guys that that is not my official name and I can confidently tell you guys that the address on that thing for Loud Silence Media isn’t that address.

Loud Silence Media was registered, so, Ace Ankomah is actually suing a different person and Ghanaians are so excited; when I say Ghanaians, the newspapers, the media houses, the ignorant media house guys, the ignorant media, the hungry, butt-licking media guys, you guys are hungry.

“All the papers that put my face as front [page], I just have a simple message for you: with all due respect, you guys are very very ignorant … I’m bigger than the President today, yea, my fellow journalists who are hungry, they can’t even sell 100 papers in a day but they take the time to put Kevin Taylor’s picture on their front page; put something better [there] that is going to sell your paper. You’re an idiot; my US$1 is your GHS6.70 and you are following me around. Are you stupid?”

But Lawyer Sambian in commenting about the matter said “This guy…wait till the judgment is executed against you then you will see your “smoothness level.”

Even if he added the name “Demon” to your names you would still not be able to escape liability. You know why?

You are a very known fellow. You even reacted to the contents of the writ. You knew it was preferable to you. So what is your point? Get your paymasters to settle this debt. I know Ace would be generous enough to send some few coins down my way to sort my boys out.

And whilst at it, let me give you free advice: please take urgent steps to set aside the judgment. It is the only reasonable legal avenue available to you.

Also remember time is of the essence. Don’t also think the judgment cannot be enforced against you because you are cooling off in America.

There is something known as reciprocal enforcement of judgment...And what is this argument about checking with the US embassy regarding your real name?

Massa your first duty was to protest for having been sued under a wrong name. You did not. You waited, called his bluff until judgment was rendered in his favour and all of a sudden the ghost is responding to a judgment.”