Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been shown mercy by the High Court following his failure to meet a deadline set by the Court to submit his statement of defence in the case between him and the Minister for National Security, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah.
Mr. Kan-Dapaah dragged Barker-Vormawor to court on September 26, 2023 for making bribery allegations against the national security minister.
It would be recalled that on October 27, 2023, Barker-Vormawor was served with a writ of summons and statement of claim in court by the lawyers of the Minister for National Security, after earlier attempts by him to avoid being served.
The Court, on the same day, gave a two-week deadline for defendant to file his statement of defence.
However, Barker-Vormawor failed to meet the two-week deadline.
Subsequently, the lawyers of Mr Kan-Dapaah filed a motion praying the Court to proceed and pass judgement on the case in light of the defendant’s failure to submit his statement of defence.
The High Court, on November 29, 2023, however showed mercy on Barker-Vormawor, following a plea by his lawyers, requesting for an extension of the deadline for the submission of his statement of defence, to which the court granted.
It is palpably clear that the extension of the deadline by the Court to enable the defendant submit his statement of defence does not imply a dismissal of the original suit by Mr. Kan-Dapaah.
The case has been adjourned to December 14, 2023 by the High Court which was presided over by Justice Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyemang for Barker-Vormawor to file his defence so that the case will take its normal course and ultimately be heard on its merits.
The National Security Minister is demanding a sum of GH¢10 million in general damages including aggravated and/or exemplary damages for defamation for the words.
He is also demanding an apology and a retraction by Barker-Vormawor and a perpetual injunction on the defendant from repeating similar words.
