THE OBJECT OF THE LAW OF DEFAMATION IN GHANA. KWAME-KWAME 339

THE OBJECT OF THE LAW OF DEFAMATION IN
GHANA. RE-IDENTIFYING THE COMMON LAW TORT
OF DEFAMATION – THE ACE ANKOMAH CASE
BY Kwame Yaro Appiah & Kwame Richard Klu 1
INTRODUCTION
The development of the law of life, liberty and property has been the cornerstone for the
redevelopment of other species of law. The law of tort is one specie whose roots trace as
far as the ancient laws of liberty; Magna Carta Libertatum 1215. The tort of defamation
was developed as an offshoot of the law of liberties. The purpose for the development of
the tort of defamation is the protection of the reputation of individuals from unjustified
attacks by members of society. For this, it only formerly had jurisdiction over natural
persons. This has been extended to legal persons 2 . The protection of property interests
has also been touched. The law of defamation is one of the fastest developing areas of
modern law. This paper focuses on the mode of the courts appeasing losses (Damages)
caused through the defamatory acts of others. In other words, this paper is to highlight
the mode through which the courts compensate persons, historically and modern,
Common law and Customary, Roman law and Scottish law. This is to enable us settle
growing questions around the judgement of His Lordship Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo
at the Accra High Court (General Jurisdiction Division 6), Ghana, on the 24th February,
2020 in the famous case of Ace Anan Ankomah v Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor, Loud
Silence Media.
BACKGROUND TO THE CASE
Plaintiff, Mr. Ace Anan Ankomah is a renowned Ghanaian law of many domestic and
international accomplishments. Defendants were Mr. Kevin Ekow Baidoo Taylor, a
journalist. Second defendant is Loud Silence Media. The issues revolved around Mr.
1
2
Kwame Yaro Appiah (BA(Hons)(UG), LLB(Hons)(GIMPA)) and Kwame Richard Klu (BA (Hons)(UG), LLB(Hons)(KNUST), Dip. BMA(ICM-UK))
McDonald's Corporation v Steel & Morris [1997] EWHC QB 366
pg. 1