Lawyers for Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin have vowed to pursue his GH¢15 million defamation suit against Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi to its logical conclusion, despite the High Court’s decision to set aside the case over a procedural defect.
In a statement issued by Dehyena Chambers on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, the legal team said Afenyo-Markin had instructed them to continue with the matter. They added that they were awaiting a copy of the court’s ruling before determining the next legal steps.
The High Court, General Jurisdiction 1, presided over by Justice Akwasi Adjenim Boateng, set aside the writ of summons after ruling that it failed to sufficiently identify the allegedly defamatory words, as required under the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47).
The lawyers disclosed that, as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the court registry had not provided them with a copy of the ruling. They said they would examine the decision before deciding on the appropriate course of action.
The legal team also expressed concern over what it described as Sammy Gyamfi’s reliance on procedural objections instead of filing a defence to the substantive allegations.
According to the lawyers, the GoldBod CEO had previously made categorical allegations against Afenyo-Markin, publicly claimed to possess evidence to support them and challenged the Minority Leader to take legal action.
They questioned why Gyamfi had opted to challenge the suit on procedural grounds rather than defend the allegations before the court.
The lawyers further argued that procedural irregularities in civil proceedings could be corrected, citing principles of equity and provisions under Order 81 of C.I. 47.
“Our civil jurisprudence, including the Supreme Court authorities on non-compliance with procedural rules and Order 81 of C.I. 47, recognises that procedural irregularities are curable since equity looks at substance and not form,” the statement said.
Despite the court’s decision, the legal team maintained that its client remained determined to pursue the case and secure a judicial determination of the dispute.
“We will not be deterred by procedural setbacks. The Mills of Justice grind slowly, but with great surety,” the statement added.
The court’s decision followed a finding that the writ of summons lacked sufficient particulars of the alleged defamatory publication, making the action defective under the applicable civil procedure rules.
Afenyo-Markin filed the GH¢15 million defamation suit against Gyamfi in August 2026 over comments in which the GoldBod CEO allegedly described him as an “extortionist”.
According to the statement of claim, the alleged defamatory remarks were made by Gyamfi on Joy News on Saturday, August 22, 2026, during a discussion about GoldBod and allegations of financial losses linked to the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
