Ofori-Atta sues Captain Smart over false claim on IMF deal; demands GHS10 million in damages

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has filed a GHS10 million defamation suit against popular TV host, Captain Smart.

Born Blessed Godsbrain Smart, the host of ‘Maakye’ on Onua TV has been sued for alleging that the Minister of Finance is earning a 10% commission on the $3 billion Extended Credit Facility secured by government from the International Monetary Fund.

In the writ filed by Bright Okyere Adjekum who is Lawyer for Ken Ofori-Atta, at the High Court on Friday, June 2, it indicated that during the course of the said “Maakye with Captain Smart” program on May 22, the Defendant, broadcasted and published on Onua TV, Onua FM and via the internet the following words; “Are you aware that Ken Ofori Atta has taken his 10% of the IMF money”? “Every loan we take he takes 10%.”

The lawyer of Ken Ofori-Atta as instructed by the Minister insists that the above statements are not only palpably false, absolutely fabricated but were also deliberately calculated to disparage the Plaintiff.

“Those words are malicious and were clearly further intended to convey and would be understood to convey meanings that diminish the Plaintiff in the minds of right thinking members of society,” part of the Writ said.

To make up for the injury suffered by the reputation of Ken Ofori-Atta, the Plaintiff through his Lawyer is praying to the court for five reliefs:

First, Ofori-Atta is praying for “a declaration that the words uttered by the Defendant “are you aware that Ken Ofori Atta has taken his 10% of the IMF money? Every loan we take he (Ken Ofori-Atta) takes 10%” are Defamatory of the Plaintiff (Ken Ofori-Atta).

Second, “recovery of the sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GHSI0,000,000.00) as general damages including aggravated and/or exemplary damages for defamation for the libel uttered by Defendant”.

In addition, the Plaintiff is also demanding “an apology for and retraction of the words complained of and particularized and fourth, a “perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant whether by himself, his servants, agents or assigns from repeating similar or other defamatory words against the Plaintiff."