The High Court in Accra has set aside a GH¢15 million defamation suit filed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin against Sammy Gyamfi, ruling that the action was defective.
The court, presided over by Justice Agyenim Boateng, held that the writ of summons failed to satisfy the special legal requirements for a defamation action.
The decision followed a preliminary objection raised by lawyers for Mr. Gyamfi, Seth Anyaaba and Gideon Abotsi, challenging the competence of the suit. The court upheld the objection and set aside the action.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin filed the suit on August 24, 2026, seeking GH¢15 million in general, aggravated and exemplary damages over alleged defamatory statements.
He also asked the court to compel Mr. Gyamfi to publish a full and unqualified retraction and apology with the same prominence as the original publication.
The legal battle stems from the controversy surrounding the Bank of Ghana’s gold purchase programme and reported losses associated with the initiative.
The dispute escalated after Mr. Afenyo-Markin, in his capacity as Minority Leader, criticised the programme and demanded accountability over a reported US$1.7 billion loss recorded by the Bank of Ghana in 2025.
In response, Mr. Gyamfi described Mr. Afenyo-Markin as an “extortionist”, a remark that triggered the defamation dispute.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin subsequently turned to the courts, seeking financial compensation and a public retraction and apology from the GoldBod Chief Executive.
