The former Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Dr. Tony Aubynn, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Paul Adom-Otchere, host of Good Evening Ghana. The suit, filed on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, also names Ignite Media Group as the second defendant.

Dr. Aubynn, who currently serves as the Abakoma-Akyempimhene of the Damang-Wassa Division within the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area in the Western Region, alleges that remarks made by Mr. Adom-Otchere on his show were defamatory and intended to tarnish his reputation among "right-thinking members of society."

The plaintiff is seeking a High Court order in Accra to compel Mr. Adom-Otchere to issue a “retraction and an unqualified apology” using the same media platforms where the alleged defamatory statements were made.

Additionally, Dr. Aubynn is requesting a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendants and their associates from making further similar publications. He is also demanding general damages of GH¢30 million for the harm caused to his reputation, as well as punitive and exemplary damages of GH¢10 million.

According to the plaintiff, the remarks portrayed him as "a dishonest, selfish, hypocritical, unpatriotic, corrupt, dishonorable, unscrupulous member of society who has the habit of inciting illegal miners to act in a manner as to destroy the environment." These statements, he contends, “in their true and natural sense, have exposed the Plaintiff to public ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right-thinking members of society.”

In his statement of claim, Dr. Aubynn highlighted several particulars of malice, stating that:

"The Defendants deliberately published the said defamatory statements and caused same to be widely circulated and distributed, knowing very well that same were false and/or with no honest belief in the truthfulness of the claims, to whip up negative public sentiments against the Plaintiff.”

“The Defendants deliberately, maliciously, and/or recklessly published the said impugned publications on the said show without considering the extent to which making such untruths can go to harm the reputation of the Plaintiff.”

“The 1st Defendant actually lied confidently and repeatedly that the statements made by the said ‘second speaker’ were made by the Plaintiff, in order to achieve his objective of defaming the Plaintiff.”

Dr. Aubynn further stated that the defendants “failed, neglected, and/or deliberately refused or failed to contact the Plaintiff directly to clear all or any doubts about whether or not the Plaintiff was in fact the second speaker or made the statements ascribed to him.”

The lawsuit, which underscores the plaintiff's claims of malicious intent and disregard for journalistic standards, seeks to hold the defendants accountable for the alleged damage caused to his reputation.