The High Court’s General Jurisdiction 1 has dismissed a GH¢15 million defamation suit filed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin against Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi.
The court ruled that the writ was incurably defective and incompetent, rendering it incapable of properly invoking the court’s jurisdiction.
In arriving at its decision, the court relied on Coleman v Newmont regarding the applicable procedural rule and Owusu Domena on the requirement for objections to be raised promptly.
The ruling brings the proceedings under the defective writ to an end but does not determine whether the statements at the centre of the dispute were defamatory.
Mr Afenyo-Markin announced the legal action in Parliament on August 24, 2026, following allegations of extortion made against him amid a dispute involving GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The suit also named Multimedia Group Limited as a defendant.
The Minority Leader maintained that the allegations were false and intended to damage his reputation, prompting him to seek GH¢15 million in damages.
The case subsequently became the subject of a dispute over service of the court documents.
Mr Gyamfi authorised his lawyers, Ayine & Partners, to accept the writ on his behalf, while lawyers for Mr Afenyo-Markin later maintained that service had been completed and rejected suggestions that their client was avoiding the legal process.
The court’s latest decision addresses the procedural validity of the action and does not constitute a finding on the merits of the underlying defamation claims.
