A Koforidua High Court in the Eastern Region has vindicated the Koforidua Chairman for the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) and awarded GH¢40,000.00 in his favor.
The Court again ordered the former treasurer of the Koforidua branch of the Progressive Transport Owners Association, (Peace PROTOA), Joshua Kofi Soga to pay a GH¢40,000 compensation to the branch Chairman, Mr. Yaw Adogo for defaming him.
Joshua Kofi Soga caused a publication of materials about Mr. Adogo on social media including Accra-based Starr FM and order online media networks which the Court found to be defamatory.
The Court presided over by His Lordship Nana Yaw Gyamfi Frimpong also restrained Soga, his privies and agents from further carrying out defamatory publication against Mr. Adogo.
The Court further awarded a GH¢10,000 cost against Soga.
Evidence given at the Court was that there was bad blood between Mr. Yaw Adogo and Soga of which each accused the other of misappropriating the association’s funds.
That eventually led to the suspension of Mr. Yaw Adogo but was reinstated after he sought redress from the Court after which the National Executives of Peace PROTOA had written to the Court reinstating him.
Soga there after organized a press conference to state that the branch Chairman (Mr. Adogo) had used juju to kill one Lamno, a member of the Koforidua branch of the union, as well as threatening other members with juju.
Soga also stated that Mr. Adogo had been inhumanly be treating members of the union.
In his ruling, Justice Frimpong who quoted many legal statutes said the Court decided for the compensation because Soga could not substantiate in evidence what he published about Mr. Adogo.
He said the court’s ruling was not penal but to compensate plaintiff to allow peace and harmony prevail within the branch union.
Mr. Adogo who told the Court that the publication had damaged his reputation as an elder of the Assemblies of God Church as well as a branch Chairman of the union demanded GH¢1 million damages for defamation.
He also prayed the Court to grant perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his privies, agents and assigns from further defamatory publications against him.
Also among the reliefs is an order to the defendant to remove all publications on the internet about the plaintiff and render an apology with the same prominences.
The Court, plaintiff also prayed should give any order it deemed fit.
