The Editor-In-Chief of The Enquirer newspaper, Mr. Raymond Archer, has dragged the Editor and publishers of the Daily Guide newspaper to the Fast Track High court, over a publication that he says was malicious and sought to undermine his reputation, professional work, and standing.
Mr. Archer, an internationally acclaimed journalist and the first African and youngest winner of the Global Gold Medal and the African Prize of the prestigious Lorenzo Natali Prize for Excellence in Journalism in 2002, is seeking �general damages, including aggravated and/or exemplary damages for libel� against him.
Mr. Archer contends that he has suffered considerable distress and embarrassment, including answering to numerous telephone calls from friends and associates and therefore he is holding them jointly and severally liable for the said publication.
He is seeking also, and order restraining the defendant from publishing similar or other libelous statements and/or stories on or about him, together with the costs and for any further or other reliefs.
A writ of summons, which names Eric Bawa, author of the said publication as 1st Defendant, Fortune Alimi, Editor of the Daily Guide as 2nd Defendant, and Western Publications, publishers of the paper as 3rd Defendants, was filed at the High Court last Thursday.
Mr. Archer cites the said article at page 4 of the Wednesday November 28, 2009 edition of the Daily Guide, under the column �Time With Angel Gabriel,� titled �Raymond Archer�s Peacock Journalism,� as ridiculing and insulting him over a story written by a reporter of The Enquirer, Larry-Alans Dogbe.
The Editor-In-Chief, quotes excerpts of the Daily Guide publication, which describe him, among others, as a �blackmailer�, who has �stooped so low for the love of money.� The excerpts included the following, which he says were defamatory of him:�Come again, Raymond, if this is not mischievous, I do not think I will have any other word to describe your story.
This one is simply yellow journalism and you have stooped so low for the love of money. No wonder you have joined the club of the nouveau rich in this country riding flashy cars and having a taste of the good things in life. As to how long you can continue to succeed in your blackmailing is a subject of public interest.
The rumour doing the rounds says you are being financed by She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed and the Queen of Nsawam [Cannery].� He argues that by their ordinary meaning,. The words complained of, meant that he �is an unscrupulous, mercenary and unethical journalist, regularly receiving or taking money from third parties, including Mrs. Konadu Rawlings in order to do their dirty work by publishing damaging stories and untruths about other persons�.
He argued further that the publication portrays him as a badly behaved and unprofessional journalist who uses his profession to blackmail and extort money from people.
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