The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has taken Baba Jamal Konneh, Deputy Managing Director of the Cocoa Marketing Company and Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, to court over defamation.
This follows some statements allegedly made by Mr. Baba Konneh during a live radio broadcast on Okay FM on February 13, 2026.
According to the Statement of Claim filed through Nkrumah & Associates, the Defendant, speaking during the said broadcast, allegedly asserted that the Plaintiff imported Chinese nationals into Akyemansa in the Eastern Region to engage in illegal mining activities, commonly referred to as “galamsey.”
The Defendant is further alleged to have stated that such activities resulted in the destruction of cocoa farms and adversely affected the livelihoods of farmers.
The court documents stressed that the remarks were presented not as political commentary but as statements of fact, purportedly based on personal knowledge.
While Mr. Oppong Nkrumah has dismissed the allegations as false and malicious, he emphasised that they portray him as involved in criminal conduct and unfit for public office. He claims the broadcast caused reputational damage, emotional distress, and diminished public confidence in his leadership.
Consequently, the Plaintiff seeks the following reliefs:
- A declaration that the statements complained of are defamatory.
- General damages in the sum of GH¢20 million for injury to reputation.
- Aggravated and exemplary damages in the sum of GH¢10 million, having regard to the alleged malice, the Defendant’s public office, and the extensive publication of the statements.
- An order for a full and unconditional retraction and apology to be published on Okay FM, in at least three nationally circulated newspapers, and across all digital platforms where the statements were disseminated.
- A perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from further publication of the said or similar allegations.
- An order directing the removal of all defamatory material from radio archives, online platforms, websites, and social media channels.
The matter is currently before the High Court for determination.
