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Court awards GHC750,000 damages against ABSA Bank for defamation
A High court in Accra (General Jurisdiction 7) has awarded a cost of GH750,000 against ABSA Bank Ghana Limited for defaming Mr Adri Hopson, a real estate developer.
In 2019, Mr Hopson, the plaintiff sold two separate two-bedroom houses to two employees of the Bank, Isaac Quao and Linda Mokeh.
The plaintiff had stated in his writ of summons filed by his lawyer, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo that he was subsequently invited by the Greater Accra Regional Police Command to respond to a complaint of fraud lodged against him by the Bank, the defendant, regarding his sale of encumbered properties to its two employees.
Meanwhile, the plaintiff had argued that the properties were not encumbered in any way, therefore, the act of the defendant in lodging a complaint against him was defamatory.
Mr Hopson contends that he was not involved in any contract or transaction with the defendant Bank.
In his judgement on May 22, the presiding judge, Justice Ali Baba Abature held that the complaint of defrauding by false pretences lodged against the plaintiff by the defendant Bank was defamatory as it was made out of malice without probable and reasonable cause, thereby harming the reputation of the plaintiff as a successful and respected. businessman.
Justice Abature stated that the two workers of the Bank were in occupation of the properties the plaintiff genuinely sold to them, with one of them admitting that she has registered her title to the property she purchased.
Consequently, the judge awarded GH300,000 in general damages to be paid to the plaintiff by the defendant, punitive damages of GH300,000, compensatory damages of GH150,000. and costs, including services cost of GH100,000 against defendant in favour of the plaintiff.
The defendant had told the court that the plaintiff mortgaged the properties he sold to its employees, but Nii Addo, counsel for the plaintiff averred that the
properties the defendant claimed were mortgaged by his client were not the properties sold to the two employees of the defendant.
It was the case of the plaintiff that he dealt with the defendant’s two employees in good faith and did not suppress any material fact from the employees and that malice occurred on the part of the defendant when the complaint of fraud was made to the police with intent to harm his image or reputation.
The defendant, on the other hand, denied all the averments of the plaintiff.
In its statement of defence, ABSA averred that the results of an initial search conducted by its Central Securities Unit (CSU) on the properties sold to its two employees by the plaintiff indicated that there were no encumbrances on the property before it accepted the mentioned employees’ application for a mortgage under its Bank Staff Mortgage Loan Policy.
However, the defendant stated that subsequent investigations at the time the said employees’ mortgage documents were submitted to the Land Title Division for registration of its interest in the properties by virtue of the mortgage loan it granted to the two employees for the purchase of the properties have revealed that the properties the plaintiff sold to its two employees were encumbered as a mortgage had already been registered on the said properties.
Consequently, the defendant’s mortgage interest charge in the two properties could not be registered thereby rendering the mortgage facility it granted to its two mentioned employees unsecure.
As a result, ABSA said its Fraud Risk Management and Investigations Unit was commissioned to conduct forensic investigations into the conduct of the plaintiff, and the investigation report revealed that that the Plaintiff had mortgaged certain properties including the two that Plaintiff sold to its employees to First Trust Savings and Loans for a loan facility.
Defendant therefore lodged a complaint with the Regional Crime Officer of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command to investigate the matter.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
News
Prioritise affordable treatment of sickle cell treatment —Health Expert
Health experts have urged Ghana to prioritise affordable and accessible treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD) as advanced, but costly curative therapies remain out of reach.
SCD, an inherited blood disorder, affects about three in every 100 newborns in Ghana.
Globally, around 1,000 babies are born with the condition daily, with three-quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.
The disease causes severe complications including chronic pain, anaemia, infections, strokes and organ damage, often leading to shortened life expectancy.
In recent years, gene therapy has been developed as a potential cure.
However, its cost—running into millions of dollars per patient—makes it financially and technically inaccessible in Ghana.
According to Dr Lawrence Osei-Tutu, a Sickle Cell and Childhood Cancer Expert at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, “the country must instead focus on practical, lower-cost interventions such as hydroxyurea”, a decades-old cancer drug proven to reduce painful episodes, hospitalisation and life- threatening complications in SCD patients”.
Taken orally, the medicine improves red blood cell function and is considered safe and effective.
“Hydroxyurea therapy is as good as the cure and a low-hanging fruit to pluck, we must bring a cure to our sickle cell warriors, but do so sustainably.” he urged.
In a chat with The Spectator here, he said to create awareness on the disease, the expert noted that despite its benefits, “hydroxyurea is not widely accessible in Ghana.”
Stressing that, “many patients either cannot afford it or struggle with irregular supply through the health system.”
Moreover, he argued that scaling up access would provide immediate relief while the country builds the infrastructure, trains specialists and secures funding needed to support curative therapies in the future.
With an estimated 15,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually in Ghana, Dr Osei Tutu cautioned that “failure to improve access to effective treatment will leave many patients vulnerable to preventable complications and early death.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Let’s reintroduce Cultural Studies to complement educational reforms — Tourism Minister
Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has emphasised the importance of reintroducing Cultural Studies in schools as part of Ghana’s broader educational reform agenda.
She said Cultural Studies would complement existing efforts to reposition Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to promote digital literacy and expand Creative Arts education.
Speaking at the 2025 Homowo Festival of the people of Ningo-Prampram, held on the theme: “Education: The Best Legacy for our Children,” Madam Gomashie said cultural education was critical to national identity and development.
She noted that the festival’s theme aligned with the Government’s vision to transform education in Ghana and encouraged the youth to embrace it not only as a means of personal development but also as a way of preserving traditional values.
These values, including patience, wisdom, and hard work, were at the core of the Homowo celebration, the Minister said.
“Cultural festivals like Homowo are vital instruments for strengthening cultural identity, preserving historical memory, and fostering national unity. Additionally, festivals serve as platforms for educating the youth through storytelling, music, dance, and other traditional practices, while also providing opportunities for community engagement.”
Madam Gomashie highlighted the strong foundation that Ghana’s tourism was built on, which included culture, traditions, and the creative industry, collectively contributing to over GH¢4.8 billion to the economy.
“Festivals give tourists reasons to visit our country. Therefore, with the right infrastructure and the development of all the domains, the sector can do more than what has been recorded,” she added.
Mr Sam Nartey George, the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram and Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, commended the community for their vibrant participation in the festival. He announced plans for the construction of a new nursing training school in Ningo, aimed at expanding access to healthcare education in the area.
Nene Osroagbo Djangmah XII, Paramount Chief of Great Ningo Traditional Area; King Dr Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse; Nene Tetteh Wakah III, Paramount Chief of the Prampram Traditional Area; Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, Paramount Chief of the Nungua Traditional Area; Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II, Paramount Queen Mother of Great Ningo; and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Special Envoy on Religion and Inter-Faith Affairs, who represented the Chief of Staff, were among dignitaries at the festival. -GNA
