MICHAEL TETTEH ANGUAH V. CENTRE FOR PLANT MEDICINE RESEARCH, GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS GROUP LIMITED AND THE EDITOR, GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS

JUDGMENT

ACKAAH-BOAFO, J.

[A] Introduction:

[1] It is indeed true that the balance between free speech and protection of reputation is an uneasy one. When the Daily Graphic accepted to publish a disclaimer submitted by the Plant and Medicine Research, the 1st Defendant herein in or about January 2015, little did it know that it was setting in motion a chain of events which would lead to a lawyer’s letter for retraction, an apology and a demand for compensation and ultimately a defamation lawsuit for a claim in damages. This is an action for defamation by a former employee of the 1st Defendant Research Centre at Akropong against the Defendants herein for damages and injunction among others.

[B] The Action

[2] By a writ of summons filed on the 29^th day of May, 2015 the Plaintiff claims against the Defendants the following reliefs:

i) A declaration that the publication by the Defendants in the Daily Graphic of Monday 19^th January 2015 is defamatory of the Plaintiff.

ii) General Damages for libe…