Randy Abbey refiles GH¢20m defamation suit against Abronye DC

Dr Randy Anertey Abbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has returned to the High Court in Accra with a fresh GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit against the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, widely known as Abronye DC.

The renewed suit comes after an earlier action was struck out by the court on technical grounds. The court ruled that the initial filing was defective because Dr Abbey did not properly indicate the capacity in which he initiated the action, leading to its dismissal without consideration of the substantive issues.

The case stems from comments attributed to Mr Baffoe during a political programme aired on the radio, where he made remarks about Dr Abbey’s conduct during visits to cocoa farming communities.

In the broadcast cited in the suit, Abronye DC alleged that Dr Abbey carries a personal chair from Accra whenever he undertakes inspections of cocoa farms, suggesting that the act demonstrated arrogance and disregard for cocoa farmers.

“Is it not surprising that when Randy Abbey goes for inspection on the cocoa farms, he has a chair he brings from Accra that he sits on it. That is Randy Abbey for you. Pride and arrogance, because the cocoa farmers who pay Randy Abbey, Randy would not sit on their chair because it is ugly,” Mr Baffoe said.

He further questioned whether such behaviour reflected respect for farmers and their livelihoods.

“A CEO who when he visits the cocoa farmers has his own chairs, do you think he would respect you the cocoa farmers? Or think about you for you to prosper? No he would not think about you,” he added.

Dr Abbey argues that the statements were defamatory and have damaged his reputation, particularly among cocoa farmers and the general public. He maintains that the remarks portrayed him as arrogant and dismissive of the very people whose welfare COCOBOD exists to protect.

In the reliefs before the court, Dr Abbey is seeking a declaration that the broadcasts and publications complained of were defamatory. He is also asking for an unconditional retraction and an unqualified apology, along with the removal of the alleged defamatory content from all platforms operated by the defendant, including social media.

The plaintiff further wants the retraction to be published for a continuous period of one month, subject to his prior approval.

Additionally, Dr Abbey is requesting a perpetual injunction to restrain Mr Baffoe, his agents, or associates from making or circulating similar statements in the future.

He is also claiming general damages of GH¢20 million, as well as punitive damages, for what his legal team describes as defamatory broadcasts and publications made online.

Counsel for Dr Abbey, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, insists that the statements attributed to Mr Baffoe are defamatory and unjustified.

The case is expected to return to court for further proceedings as the matter progresses.