The Paramount Chief of the Aowin Traditional Area, Beyeeman Tano Kwaw Benbuin III, has dragged three individuals to the Sefwi Wiawso High Court for consistent publications of false news against him.
The defendants in the matter are Nana Banin Kajo (John Kwasi), Bernard Kwame Mussey, a lecturer at the Takoradi Technical University and Louis Yamoah (Nana Kwame Nkansah).
The plaintiff, Beyeeman Tano Kwaw, is praying the court to declare that, the statements made variously by the defendants, mostly in the Twi language, are defamatory against him and is therefore seeking an order of the court to direct the defendants to publish for not less than three times and on the same platforms the defendants used in publishing those defamatory words, an unqualified retraction and apology with the same prominence as given to the issuance of the defamatory words complained of.
The plaintiff is also praying the court for an order for a perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants, their agents, assigns and servants from further publishing any defamatory words against him as well as general and exemplary damages for the malicious conduct of the defendants in allegedly defaming him. Beyeeman is also asking for costs, including legal fees to be slapped on the defendants up to GHC 500,000.
Cybercrime Arrest and Prosecution
Whilst the libel and defamation case is pending before the Sefwi Wiawso High Court, Mr Bernard Kwame Mussey is also in the grips of the Cybercrime Unit of the Ghana Police Service. On 16th February 2021, Mr Bernard Kwame Mussey was arraigned before Her Worship, Rosemond Agyiri of the Kaneshie District Court 1 for offensive conduct and the publication of false information in the case of the Republic v. Bernard Kwame Mussey. Mr Mussey is accused of using various pseudonyms on Facebook to commit various cybercrimes against Beyeeman meant to lower and tarnish his hard-earned reputation.
He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail upon his lawyer’s praying to the court for bail for his client. He was subsequently granted bail, with two sureties and depositing his passport with the court’s registrar. He will reappear on 18th March 2021.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court, the Prosecutor, Detective Inspector Richard Amoah of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service Headquarters, said, the complainant, Beyeeman Tano Kwaw Benbuin III, who is the Paramount Chief of the Aowin Traditional Area, reported to the police that, the accused person, Mr Mussey, has constantly been publishing several false and offensive information about him on Facebook since he was enstooled as the Omanhene of the Aowin Traditional Area in March 2019.
The prosecution further told the court that the accused was arrested and during investigations, it was established that he had changed his Facebook account name and created others just to hide his true identity on social media with the express intention of vilifying Beyeeman to the chagrin of well-meaning Ghanaians and his international friends.
