The High Court in Accra has reportedly dismissed the case of former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Bampoe-Addo, who had sued her ex-husband, Tony Lisah, for tarnishing her image both within and outside Ghana.
According to Accra-based GHOne TV, the court ruled that the former minister, who was seeking $500,000 in damages and $1 million in punitive damages from her ex-husband, was unjustified in her actions.
“An Accra High Court has dismissed the $1.5 million lawsuit filed by Nana Oye Bampoe Addo against her ex-husband, Tony Risah, for lack of a valid cause of action,” the post shared by GHOne TV on Monday, May 27, 2024, reads in part.
The media also reported that the court imposed a fine of 5,000 cedis on Oye Bampoe Addo.
The ruling came after Tony Lisah filed a notice to appear to contest a defamation suit brought against him by his ex-wife, former Minister of Gender, Nana Oye Bampoe-Addo.
In documents filed in April 2024, the former minister, who is also a lawyer, is seeking $1.5 million in damages for defamatory claims made by her ex-husband in a divorce petition filed several years ago.
In Risah’s notice to appear, filed on May 14, 2024, he sought “an order dismissing, enjoining or dismissing the plaintiff’s (Nana Oye) summons and complaint.”
The motion to appear was filed pursuant to Rule 18(1)(a)/(b)/(d) of Order 11 and was scheduled to be filed on May 27, 2024, according to Accra-based Star FM.
In his filing, Risser outlined three reasons why he wants the lawsuit dismissed, stayed or dismissed.
“Plaintiffs shall move the honorable court for an order dismissing, staying or striking out plaintiffs’ summons and complaint filed on April 25, 2024 on the grounds that (a) they fail to disclose a reasonable cause of action against defendants, and/or (b) they are unreasonable and vexatious, and/or (c) they constitute an abuse of the process of court, and for such further orders as the court may deem appropriate,” he said.
Nana Oye Banpo Addo drags ex-husband to court over $1.5 million damages suit
According to the Chronicle report, the core of the lawsuit is “the allegedly malicious content of the divorce petition filed by Mr. Risser on May 2, 2018, to end his 27-year marriage.”
According to Nana Oye, this has tarnished her reputation both locally and internationally.
He added that the divorce had also provoked vicious hatred, ridicule and public condemnation.
“The divorce petition, which was variously reported by the media, described the plaintiff as a lazy and irresponsible mother, adulterous, cruel and violent person and engaged in acts contrary to professional ethics as a human rights lawyer. These allegations, according to Nana Oye Banpo Addo, have maliciously tarnished her image.”
“Nana Oye (plaintiff) submitted that Mr. Lisah’s (defendant) allegations could be interpreted to mean that she is a cruel and violent cheater, adulterer, violator of human rights, spiteful and wicked person and unfit to hold public office.”
“In relation to the divorce petition, the former minister stated that her ex-husband has accused her, a human rights lawyer, of acts of cruelty and violence including pouring water on her, hitting her, slapping her and injuring the housekeeper with his fingernails,” reads in part the complaint seen by GhanaWeb.
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