Investigative journalist and author Manasseh Azure Awuni has responded to a defamation lawsuit filed against him by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), calling it part of a wider campaign to undermine his investigative work.
In a statement released over the weekend, Manasseh revealed that SML is seeking damages of GHS 21 million due to claims made in his book, The President Ghana Never Got, which exposes various scandals under the Akufo-Addo administration.
The company took issue with Manasseh’s characterization of its deal with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Finance, calling it “the biggest scam,” “the SML scandal,” and “shady.”
It also disputed his description of its reported savings and services as “falsehoods” and “lies.”
The lawsuit, signed by Victoria Barth of Sam Okudzeto & Associates, was filed on November 1, 2024. However, Manasseh stated that he has not been formally served, despite being in the United States since August 2024 for a journalism fellowship at Harvard University, a fact that is publicly known.
He further alleged that an editor of an online news platform informed him that someone had tried to pay for the publication of the lawsuit story, suggesting a possible attempt to damage his reputation. The media reports surrounding the lawsuit also coincided with the Special Prosecutor’s announcement of an investigation into former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta over the SML deal and other corruption-related matters.
Manasseh noted that this is not his first legal battle, as he has faced 11 defamation lawsuits since 2015. He stressed that he has always confronted such legal actions and remains determined to defend his work in court.
Manasseh has instructed his lawyers to take necessary steps to ensure he is officially served, allowing him to respond to the allegations.
