Human rights group Democracy Hub and a number of its members have sued the leader of the New Force, Nana Kwame Bebiako, popularly known as Cheddar or Freedom Jacob Case, for alleged defamation.
The group, with about 12 of its members, including renowned lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor, accused Cheddar of defaming them by claiming that their protest against illegal mining in September 2024 was politically motivated.
They, therefore, asked the court to declare that the allegation by the leader of the New Force is defamatory.
They also asked the court to order Cheddar to apologise and retract his remarks, and to pay damages for ruining their reputation.
“The Plaintiffs’ claim is for:
A. A declaration that the statements published and caused to be published by the Defendant on or about 25–26 September 2024 are false, malicious, and defamatory of the Plaintiffs.
B. A declaration that the Defendant’s publications, whether by video, written text, or oral repetition to third parties, have unlawfully injured the reputation, integrity, and public standing of each of the Plaintiffs.
C. An order directing the Defendant to publish a full, clear, and unequivocal retraction and apology, in terms to be approved by the Plaintiffs or this Honourable Court:
a. on the Defendant’s X account;
b. in the same form, prominence, and duration as the impugned videos; and
c. in any additional media outlets as this Honourable Court may deem fit.
D. General damages for defamation, for each Plaintiff, for the injury to reputation, distress, humiliation, loss of public confidence, and the continuing harm caused by the Defendant’s publications,” parts of the court document filed at the High Court in Accra read.
What Cheddar said:
#OccupyJulorbi, #FixTheCountry protests all about NDC’s interest – Kwame Bediako
Cheddar, in a video shared on his social media on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, alluded that the protest dubbed #ReoccupyJulorbiHouse and similar ones such as the #FixTheCountry protest are all machinations of a political party.
“Well, let me tell you something: all of these protests and demonstrations that have been organized in this country in the past year or two are organized by one of the duopolies. It is the same politician, and I said it. I am not going to mention names, but you know that Julorbi and Fix The Country were fixed by one of the existing parties. We cannot do this to ourselves and destroy this country because of a politician’s personal interest or a party interest.
“Please, Ghana, do your research. The people in front of all these demonstrations, some of them have treason charges. Ask, find out who is sponsoring them for the mobilization and all the things that happened. This is not about galamsey; this is about political interest,” he stated.
BAI
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