Court of Appeal overturns defamation verdict in Samuel Gyamfi v. Matthew Opoku Prempeh

Court of Appeal Reverses Earlier Judgment
The Court of Appeal on Thursday July 16, 2026 allowed the appeal in the case of Samuel Gyamfi v. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, overturning an earlier decision by the trial court in a defamation suit between the two parties.

Statement Found Not to Be Defamatory

In its ruling, the appellate court held that the statement complained of in paragraph 14 of the respondent’s statement of claim did not constitute defamation. The court further found that the statement had not been proven to be false or motivated by malice.

Trial Judge’s Decision Set Aside
The Court of Appeal concluded that the trial judge had erred in characterizing the statement as defamatory. As a result, it set aside the earlier finding, effectively allowing Samuel Gyamfi’s appeal.

Significance of the Ruling
The decision reinforces the principle that for a statement to be considered defamatory, there must be sufficient evidence demonstrating that it is false, malicious, and capable of harming a person’s reputation. The appellate court found that those legal requirements had not been met in this case.

Outcome
With the appeal allowed, the Court of Appeal has overturned the trial court’s judgement on the disputed statement, bringing a significant development in the legal dispute between Samuel Gyamfi and Matthew Opoku Prempeh.