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Tsatsu Tsikata, a prominent legal practitioner, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Kofi Akpaloo, the Presidential Candidate of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and the Excellence In Broadcasting (EIB) Network, the owners of GHOne Television. The suit arises from statements made by Mr. Akpaloo during a campaign interview aired on GHOne on November 19, 2024.
In the interview, Mr. Akpaloo alleged that Mr. Tsikata’s positive comments about the tenure of former President Mahama were driven by personal gains, claiming that Mr. Tsikata received lucrative contracts and benefits under Mahama’s administration. He referred to Mr. Tsikata as one of those who benefited from “the goodies,” implying that his opinions were influenced by self-interest rather than objectivity.
Mr. Tsikata, who formerly served as Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, vehemently denied these claims, labeling them as falsehoods that tarnish his reputation and credibility. According to his statement of claim, the remarks made by Mr. Akpaloo on GHOne were defamatory, portraying him as someone whose opinions were compromised by personal favors and financial advantages.
He argued that these statements diminished his esteem in the eyes of the public and misrepresented him as an individual who gained undue benefits under President Mahama. Mr. Tsikata asserted that the claims were baseless and constituted a severe attack on his hard-earned reputation.
As part of the reliefs sought, Mr. Tsikata has demanded a mandatory injunction requiring the defendants to issue a public apology and retract the defamatory statements with the same level of prominence as the original publication. He also requested that GHOne append the apology and retraction to all online versions of the interview, including those shared on social media platforms. Additionally, Mr. Tsikata is seeking punitive damages against Mr. Akpaloo for the harm caused to his reputation.
