Court of Appeal dismisses Abronye’s bid to halt Samson Lardy Anyenini defamation suit

The Court of Appeal in Kumasi has dismissed another application by Bono Regional NPP Chairman Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye, seeking to halt the defamation suit brought against him and Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited by lawyer and journalist Samson Lardy Anyenini.

A three-member panel presided over by Justice Eric Baah dismissed the application on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and awarded GH¢10,000 in costs against Abronye.

The application sought a stay of proceedings in the substantive case pending the determination of an interlocutory appeal.

The latest ruling marks another setback in Abronye’s efforts to prevent the defamation action from proceeding at the Kumasi High Court.

The suit, filed in April 2025, concerns statements allegedly broadcast on Wontumi TV and Radio in which Anyenini was described as a thief, dishonest and corrupt.

The broadcasts also allegedly claimed that he received US$50,000 to use his Newsfile programme to disgrace Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, a Member of Parliament.

Anyenini denies the allegations and is seeking substantial damages and other reliefs against Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited, programme host Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah and Abronye.

According to the account of the proceedings, Abronye has yet to file a Statement of Defence responding to the allegations, approximately 18 months after the suit was commenced.

The allegations remain contested and have not been determined by the court.

Abronye’s efforts to halt the suit began with a challenge to its competence.

On November 28, 2025, the Kumasi High Court declined to strike out Anyenini’s action. Although it ordered a reassessment of filing fees, it rejected Abronye’s other procedural objections.

The dispute over filing fees subsequently led to a petition to the Chief Justice and a Judicial Service circular dated February 4, 2026, clarifying the assessment of fees in defamation cases.

Abronye later returned to the High Court seeking to strike out the action over alleged non-compliance with the earlier order.

On April 17, 2026, the court dismissed that application and directed the defendants to file their requisite processes within 14 days.

He subsequently appealed and applied for a stay of proceedings, but the High Court dismissed that application on May 26, 2026.

His latest application before the Court of Appeal has now also been dismissed, with GH¢10,000 awarded in costs against him.

Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited has approached Anyenini seeking an amicable settlement on behalf of the company and its programme host, Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah, according to the account of the proceedings.

Abronye, the third defendant, is represented by David Boakye Mensah, while Anyenini is represented by Etornam Caleb Afutu. Kwadwo Bediako-Baryeh held brief for Anyenini’s counsel at Wednesday’s hearing.

The latest ruling does not determine whether the statements at the centre of the defamation suit were defamatory, nor does it dispose of Abronye’s pending interlocutory appeal.

It does, however, remove the latest procedural obstacle to the substantive action proceeding before the Kumasi High Court.