Seth Anyaaba, a lawyer for the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has explained why the GH¢15 million defamation suit filed against his client by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin was thrown out.
According to Seth Anyaaba, the writ was thrown out by the High Court on October 14, 2026, because it did not comply with the rules of court.
Sammy Gyamfi’s lawyer revealed that the legal team challenged the suit because Afenyo-Markin had failed to include the alleged defamatory statement in the writ, as required under Order 57 Rule 2 of the court rules.
Speaking to the media, Seth Anyaaba stated, “So, when Afenyo-Markin filed his defamation action, we took the view that the writ, which has just been set aside by the court, did not comply with the rules of court, particularly Order 57 Rule 2, which mandatorily requires that you must endorse the alleged defamatory statement of the defendant on the writ”
“Essentially, the court agreed with the argument that we conversed before it. So, what it means is that the action which was instituted by Afenyo-Markin on 24 August 2026 against Sammy Gyamfi is no more in existence in the sense that it has been set aside and dismissed by the High Court,” he added.
He further disclosed that the court did not determine whether the alleged comments by Gyamfi were defamatory, adding that the decision was based on a procedural issue concerning the validity of the suit.
He, however, added that Afenyo-Markin could still file a fresh case if he wished because the court had not considered the substance of his claims.
“So, clearly, the action was not determined on its merits. It was a procedural determination of the competence of the suit, so once the merits of the case weren’t determined, he’s entitled, if he so wishes, to file a fresh action,” he stated.
“We wish that, given the community they find themselves in as politicians, they can find a way to talk around these issues,” he added.
His comment follows the Accra High Court dismissing the GH¢15 million defamation suit filed by the Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, against the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
Afenyo-Markin’s suit stemmed from comments allegedly made by Sammy Gyamfi during JoyNews’ Newsfile programme, where he described the Minority Leader as an “extortionist”.
The Minority Leader initiated the legal action in August 2026, seeking GH¢15 million in damages over the alleged defamatory remarks, arguing that the comments were false and had the potential to damage his reputation as a lawyer, politician and public figure.
Afenyo-Markin’s suit also named Multimedia Group Limited, the parent company of JoyNews, as a defendant, with the Minority Leader seeking a retraction, an unqualified public apology and an injunction.
However, reports gathered suggest the Court, on October 14, 2026, ruled that Afenyo-Markin’s writ was “incurably defective, incompetent and incapable of properly invoking the Court’s jurisdiction”.
A Joy News flyer stated, “High Court throws out Afenyo-Markin’s GH¢15 million defamation suit against Sammy Gyamfi, says writ is incurably defective, incompetent and incapable of invoking the court’s jurisdiction”.
Meanwhile, details have emerged on the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, lawsuit against the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), Eric Adjei, Multimedia Group and Peace FM.
Afenyo-Markin, in a separate lawsuit, sued Sammy Gyamfi and Multimedia Group at the Accra High Court.
The Minority leader also sued Eric Adjei and Peace FM at the Achimota Circuit Court.
Speaking when Parliament reconvened on Monday, August 24, 2026, the Minority leader revealed he has initiated legal proceedings against Mr Gyamfi and media organisations that published or broadcast the statements in question.
Afenyo-Markin stated, “I have accordingly caused writs to be filed in Suit Number GT/1029/2026, titled Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin versus Samuel Adu Gyamfi and Multimedia Group Limited at the Accra High Court, and Suit Number GR/ACH/CC/C5/02/2026, titled Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin versus Eric Adjei and Peace FM at the Achimota Circuit Court”.
“I have every confidence that in the fullness of time the court will make the appropriate determination,” he added.
The legal action follows weeks of public exchanges between the Minority Leader and the GoldBod CEO over the financial performance of the DGPP, while Afenyo-Markin had appeared to have softened his earlier threat to pursue legal action over allegations made by Sammy Gyamfi.
The court cited details that the reliefs being sought by Afenyo-Markin including a retraction of the alleged defamatory statements.
“The reliefs are listed below:
a. General damages for libel;
b. Aggravated damages;
c. Exemplary damages;
d. An order directing the defendants to publish a full, unconditional and unequivocal retraction of the defamatory statements;
e. An order directing the defendants to publish a full, unconditional and unequivocal public apology to the plaintiff; and
f. An order directing that the retraction and apology be published and/or broadcast with substantially the same prominence and reach as the original publication.
g. An order directing the Defendants to cause the retraction and apology to be broadcast on JoyNews and published on the relevant electronic and social media platforms through which the defamatory publication was disseminated
h. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, their servants, agents, assigns and/or any persons acting under their authority from further publishing the defamatory words or any words to the same or substantially similar effect concerning the Plaintiff
i. Costs of Fifteen million Ghana cedis (GH¢15,000,000.00) as compensation thereof
j. Costs, including legal costs; and
k. Any further or other reliefs as this Honourable Court may deem fit”.
Watch the video below:
@ghnow_ Part 4: National Security officers have arrested a group of people allegedly involved in illegal sand winning at Sewua along the Accra–Kumasi Highway. The arrests follow the grading of the road’s right of way by military engineers ahead of the commencement of construction works. #GHNow #GhanaNews #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Part 3: National Security officers have arrested a group of people allegedly involved in illegal sand winning at Sewua along the Accra–Kumasi Highway. The arrests follow the grading of the road’s right of way by military engineers ahead of the commencement of construction works. #GHNow #GhanaNews #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
