Samson Lardy Anyenini (L) would be defending Manasseh Azure Awuni (R) in the SML suit
Renowned investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has waived personal service in the GH¢21 million defamation suit filed against him by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) over claims he made about the company in his book, ‘The President Ghana Never Got’.
Manasseh, in a post shared on X on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, indicated that his lawyer has written to the court where the suit was filed to receive a copy of it.
He said that his lawyers would appear before the court to start his defence, stating that he stands by everything he said about the company in the book.
“My lawyers have written to the court and have been served the writ of SML’s GHS21 million defamation suit against me. They will enter appearance today, and the rest of the processes will continue.
“I stand by everything I have published on the SML scandal and am ready to defend it in court,” he wrote on X.
The post had a copy of the ‘Waiver of Personal Service’ filed by the lawyer of the journalist, renowned legal practitioner and broadcaster, Samson Lardy Anyenini.
The lawyer stated that he had been instructed by Manasseh to receive the suit.
“We are solicitors for Manasseh Azure Awuni, who is named as Defendant in the above-named publicised suit (ie. a Writ and Statement of Claim). Our firm is on record as his lawyers, including in the suit filed on February 15, 2024, by this same Plaintiff with same legal representation (i.e. STRATEGIC MOBILIZATION GHANA LTD. VS. MEDIA FOUNDATION FOR WEST AFRICA & MANASSEH AZURE AWUNI with SUIT NO. GJ/0431/2024) on the same subject of the famed SML deal.
“Our client instructs us, pursuant to Order 7 Rule 12 of C1. 47, to receive a copy of a suit numbered GJ/0117/2025 widely circulated in both traditional and social media, and said to have been filed on November 7, 2024. Our address for service remains as first above, and as in previous processes before this court, I shall be counsel with direct conduct of this matter for the Defendant,” the document reads.
Background:
Manasseh Azure Awuni was sued by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited over claims made in his book, ‘The President Ghana Never Got’, regarding the company.
SML accuses Manasseh of publishing defamatory content, particularly in Chapter 28, titled “The Mother of All Scandals”.
In a writ of summons filed at the High Court of General Jurisdiction, which has been sighted by GhanaWeb, SML asserts that the journalist misrepresented facts with the deliberate intent to tarnish its reputation.
“The Plaintiff avers that, notwithstanding the pending defamation suit, the Defendant, in Chapter 28 of his book ‘The President Ghana Never Got’, discusses the Plaintiff’s contract with the Government of Ghana (GoG) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in a chapter titled ‘The Mother of All Scandals’. The Plaintiff says that in Chapter 28, the Defendant makes several non-factual statements that tarnish the Plaintiff’s reputation and have caused right-thinking members of society to shun the Plaintiff.”
SML further states that Manasseh characterized its contract with the GoG and GRA as “the biggest scam,” a “shady deal,” and referred to it as “the SML scandal.”
Additionally, the journalist allegedly described statements and projections made by SML regarding its contracts as “falsehoods” and “a lie” and labeled the agreement “needless” and “redundant.”
The company contends that these allegations severely damaged its reputation, leading to public backlash and the loss of potential contracts in Tanzania, Kenya, and Ivory Coast.
Claims SML is seeking from the Court:
• GH¢1,000,000 in general damages for defamation.
• GH¢20,000,000 in exemplary damages for what it describes as malicious reporting.
• A perpetual injunction restraining Manasseh from publishing further defamatory statements about the company.
• A public retraction and apology for Chapter 28 of his book.
• Any other reliefs the court deems fit.
View Manasseh’s post below:
My lawyers have written to the court and have been served the writ of SML’s GHS21 million defamation suit against me. They will enter appearance today, and the rest of the processes will continue.
I stand by everything I have published on the SML scandal and am ready to defend… pic.twitter.com/UljSo4dHRs
— Manasseh Azure Awuni (@Manasseh_Azure) February 26, 2025
BAI/EK
You can also watch as Otumfuo destools Ohwimhene
Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown featuring NPP MP Patrick Yaw Boamah