The Court of Appeal in Kumasi has dismissed yet another attempt by Bono Regional NPP Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye, to halt the defamation suit brought against him and Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited by lawyer and journalist Samson Lardy Anyenini.
The three-member panel, presided over by Justice Eric Baah, on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, dismissed Abronye’s repeat application for a stay of proceedings pending an interlocutory appeal and awarded GH¢10,000 in costs against him.
The ruling marks at least the third successive defeat for Abronye in his attempts to prevent the substantive defamation action from proceeding.
The suit, commenced in April 2025, concerns allegedly defamatory statements broadcast on Wontumi TV and Radio, including claims that Anyenini is a thief, dishonest and corrupt, and that he received US$50,000 to use his Newsfile programme to disgrace Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, a Member of Parliament.
Anyenini denies the allegations and is seeking substantial damages and other reliefs against Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited, its host Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah, and Abronye.
However, approximately 18 months after the suit was filed, Abronye has yet to file a Statement of Defence answering the allegations.
Abronye’s successive courtroom setbacks began with his initial challenge to the competence of the suit. On 28 November 2025, the Kumasi High Court declined to strike out Anyenini’s action. Although it ordered a reassessment of filing fees, it rejected his other procedural objections.
The filing-fee controversy subsequently prompted a petition to the Chief Justice and a Judicial Service circular of 4 February 2026 clarifying the assessment of fees in defamation cases, against Abronye’s claims.
Abronye returned to the High Court seeking to strike out the action for alleged non-compliance with the earlier order. On 17 April 2026, the Court dismissed his application and directed the Defendants to file their requisite processes within 14 days.
He appealed and sought a stay of proceedings, but the High Court dismissed that application on 26 May 2026.
His renewed application before the Court of Appeal has now suffered the same fate, with costs of GH¢10,000 awarded against him.
Meanwhile, Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited has long approached Anyenini seeking an amicable settlement on behalf of itself and its programme host, Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah, the 1st and 2nd Defendants respectively.
Abronye, the 3rd Defendant, is represented by David Boakye Mensah, while Anyenini is represented by Etornam Caleb Afutu, for whom Kwadwo Bediako-Baryeh held brief at Wednesday’s Court of Appeal hearing.
The latest ruling does not determine the merits of the defamation suit or dispose of Abronye’s pending interlocutory appeal.
It does, however, clear the way for the substantive action to proceed before the Kumasi High Court.
