The #FixTheCountry Movement’s organizer Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been sued for defamation by Kan Dapaah, Minister of National Security.
This is in response to claims made by Barker-Vormawor that National Security officials and other government representatives offered him cash during a meeting in 2021 in order to silence him.
In the lawsuit, Minister Kan Dapaah seeks compensation for Barker-Vormawor’s defamatory remarks.
The Minister is also requesting that the court declare Barker-Vormawor’s statements to be defamatory “recovery of the sum of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GHC10,000,000.00) as General Damages, including Aggravated and/or Exemplary Damages for Defamation for the words uttered by the Defendant.”
The allegations made by Barker-Vormawor came to light after the police let him and a number of other people go after their arrest on September 22, 2023.
They were imprisoned for planning a protest in Accra that disobeyed a police-obtained restraining order.
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The lawsuit represents a significant shift in the ongoing conflict between the government and the #FixTheCountry Movement, which has been pushing for better accountability and governance in Ghana.
Shortly after his release, the convener, Barker-Vormawor, made the accusations public, saying that government representatives, including those from the National Security, had approached him in 2021 and offered him money to stop his activism.
Minister Kan Dapaah’s legal action demonstrates the government’s determination to confront the accusations head-on and clear its name. The seriousness of the defamation claims is highlighted by the Minister’s demand for GHC 10 million in damages.
As it touches on more general issues of free speech, government accountability, and the function of civic movements in Ghana’s political landscape, the case is anticipated to draw considerable attention and scrutiny.
The verdict in this case may establish a precedent for future defamation cases involving public figures and activists and may have broad repercussions for how political activism and criticism are handled in Ghana.
