Defamation of Napo: More trouble for Sammy Gyamfi as court of appeal shoots down application for Stay of execution

The National Communications Officer of the main opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi is in serious trouble with the law over a defamation case in which he was ordered to pay GHc500,000 in damages to Energy Minister and MP for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh a.k.a. Napo.

This follows the Court of Appeal’s refusal of an application he filed seeking a Stay of Execution of the judgement.

No merit
In its ruling on Wednesday, April 23, the Court of Appeal said the application has no merit, and accordingly dismissed it.

Consequently, Sammy Gyamfi is liable to pay the judgment debt of GHc 500,000 to Dr. Prempeh, together with cost of GHc40,000 and a retraction of the defamatory words he used on the Minister .

Background
In October 2022, the General Jurisdiction of the High Court, presided over by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, awarded GHc500,000 in damages against Sammy Gyamfi, in favour of Dr. Prempeh.

In 2019, Dr. Prempeh, through his lawyer, Nana Agyei Baffuor Awuah, proceeded to the High Court with a defamation suit against Sammy Gyamfi following a news conference in which the NDC national communications officer made some damning allegations against the MP.

Statement of claim
In his statement of claim, Dr. Prempeh stated that Sammy Gyamfi had greatly injured his image by falsely linking him to one Seidu Yakubu, a.k.a. Mba, who was alleged to be the leader of a gang that kidnapped two Canadian girls in Kumasi in June 2019.

The Minister averred that the statement, which was widely captured in the print media and electronic platforms, dented his hard won image in both Ghana and abroad.

Dr. Prempeh said he had led a decent lifestyle worthy of emulation and as such Sammy Gyamfi had no justification to link him with miscreants to dent his image.

According to Napo, the NDC National Communications Officer did not offer any proof to his allegations, but only painted him as a person who supports thuggery, kidnapping and other illegal acts.

Dr Prempeh asked the court to order Sammy Gyamfi to retract and apologise for the defamatory statement within seven days after judgment. He also prayed for GHc1 million in damages against the defendant for making defamatory statements about him.