Mining firm files Gh¢20m defamation suit against Kennedy Agyapong

The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has been sued by a mining company for defamation.

Mr. Agyapong, according to the suit, made some defamatory comments about C & G Alesksa Company Limited, a mining company in the Western Region, on Accra-based Net 2 TV, which he owns.

The statement of claim accompanying the suit filed by C & G Alesksa Company Limited on August 31, 2018, said Mr Agyepong accused them of destroying and degrading farmlands.

C & G Alesksa Company Limited maintains the utterances by the Assin Central lawmaker has gravely injured their business and reputation, and therefore, demanding Gh¢20 million for general damages for slander spoken and published by Mr Agyapong on July 24, 2018.

Apart from the Gh¢20 million general damages, the company is also asking for an injunction against Mr Agyapong, either by themselves or his agents or assigns from further publishing or causing to be published the defamatory words complained of.

It also wants a retraction and apology by Mr Agyapong with the same prominence as the publication of the defamatory words complained of. 

The writ was issued on behalf of the company by Richard Laapo of Puozuing & Associates.

C & G Alesksa Limited explained in the suit that it is registered under the laws of the Republic of Ghana and has a 10-year mining lease over the Upper Wassa Forest in the Dwuabo District in the Western Region of Ghana.

According to the company on July 24, 2018 on “Boiling Point, a live television programme on Net 2 television,” Mr Agyapong made the following allegation to the viewers of the programme which were defamatory of the plaintiff.

“published various picture[s] of a land destroyed by mining activities claiming to be the mining concession of the plaintiff.”

The company added that Mr Agyapong also spoke and published to the hearing of all viewers, the following words, whilst making reference to the pictures being shown to viewers, which are defamatory to it.

“the way they have destroyed/degraded the land”, “to destroy our lands like this and we have journalist defending them.”

“the way mining is carried out in Canada and Russia, let them do it for us to see, if this is how mining is carried out in their country, they should inform us.”

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Below are copies of the court documents.