Spio-Garbrah wins judgement against the Chronicle over MPs boycott of campaign launch

National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer aspirant, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has on Thursday, 12th December, 2018 won a defamatory case against the Chronicle Newspaper at the High Court of the Republic of Ghana in Accra.

According to the reliefs granted by the court presided over by His Lordship, Justice Nicholas M.C Abodakpi, the Chronicle Newspaper is liable and their publication was defamatory; and that they are restrained from any future malicious publications; and that the newspaper is directed to "restore the integrity and image of the plaintiff and present an official apology...and same published by the first defendant".

The suit was filed on the 27th of November, 2018 at the High Court by the former Diplomat and Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who is aspiring to be flagbearer of the NDC in the 2020 general elections.

He sought restraining orders to stop the Newspaper from putting out defamatory publications against him.

This action was as a result of the Newspaper publishing a libelious story about him on Thursday, 18th October, 2018 in which it was reported that Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah was furious over the absence of some NDC Members of Parliament at his campaign launch in Accra and that he promised to deny them appointments if he becomes president.

In conclusion, “Contrary to the Chronicle’s malicious article, Dr Spio-Garbrah has been explaining to all and sundry that it is a Constitutional requirement for any President of Ghana to appoint the majority of his ministers from Parliament. For this reason, Dr. Spio-Garbrah has been assuring MPs that he will give them such appointments as they deserve, just all previous Presidents have appointed most of their ministers from Parliament. “