(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – An Accra High Court has ordered the “Ghanaian Chronicle”, a private newspaper in Ghana, to pay an unprecedented record fine of forty-two million cedis (approx. US$17,500) for libel to Minister of Roads and Transport Edward Salia. Presided by Justice S. T. Faakye, the court held that Salia had suffered damage to […]
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – An Accra High Court has ordered the “Ghanaian
Chronicle”, a private newspaper in Ghana, to pay an unprecedented record
fine of forty-two million cedis (approx. US$17,500) for libel to Minister of
Roads and Transport Edward Salia.
Presided by Justice S. T. Faakye, the court held that Salia had suffered
damage to his reputation and was therefore entitled to forty million cedis
(approx. US$16,700 ) in damages and two million cedis (approx. US$835) for
costs, to be paid by the editor of the “Ghanaian Chronicle” and its
publishers, General Portfolio Limited.
The 24 February 1997 edition of the “Ghanaian Chronicle” published a story
with the headline “The Vetting Begins, Minister In A Bribery Scandal”, which
had alleged that documentary evidence corroborated by an investigation
suggested that Salia had requested US$25,000 from Millicom Ghana, the
operators of Mobitel Cellular Phones.
Salia’s counsel asked the court to sift through the issues raised by the
publication and to determine whether his client had suffered damages to his
reputation and was therefore entitled to relief.
Salia did not specify the amount of damages he wanted in his suit. He had
only asked for general damages. The court ruled on 14 May 1999.
