An Accra High Court has thrown out a defamation suit filed by the Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi, against the Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong.
The court presided over by Justice William Bempong, took the decision after Raphael Agyepong, a lawyer for Kennedy Agyapong, made an application for the dismissal of the case, for want of prosecution by the plaintiff and his legal team.
Mr Hosi filed the suit on Tuesday, July 4, 2017, asking the court to award 5million cedis compensation against Kennedy Agyepong and GH¢3 million against Kencity Media, a company owned by Mr. Agyapong.
This followed an accusation by Kennedy Agyapong that the CEO of the BDC’s allegedly offered a one-million-dollar bribe to then CEO of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Alfred Obeng, to influence him to reverse a contaminated fuel sale by BOST to two companies.
The sale of the said 5million litres of off-spec fuel generated media discussions, forcing the then energy minister, Boakye Agyarko, to set up a committee to investigate the circumstances under which the fuel was contaminated and later sold.
Below were the reliefs sought by Senyo Hosi:
An order for an unconditional retraction and an unqualified apology for the said defamatory comments/broadcast/publication, doing so separately and in the Daily Graphic newspapers, and for same to be given equal prominence as the complained comments/broadcast/publication within 14 days from the day of judgment.
An order that the contents of relief (i) above be subject to the prior approval of plaintiff, and for defendants to personally and separately read out same on all media networks mentioned in paragraphs 7 and 15 above and doing so within 14 days from the day of judgment.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining defendants from any further comments of said complained defamation.
General damages for defamation.
Aggravated or exemplary damages for the malicious defamation.
Compensatory damages of GH¢5, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 1 defendant.
Compensatory damages of GH¢3, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 2 defendants.
Compensatory damages of GH¢1, 000,000.00 for injury to character and integrity against 3 defendants.
Costs, including legal fees.
Further or other reliefs.
