The Effutu Member of Parliament has filed legal writs targeting the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Samuel Adu Gyamfi (popularly known as Sammy Gyamfi), along with prominent Accra-based media organizations and an opposition political official, taking a decisive stand to protect his public and professional integrity.
The controversy erupted during the Saturday, August 22, 2026, live broadcast of the flagship show Newsfile on JoyFM and Joy News TV, platforms operated by Multimedia Group Limited. While participating as a panelist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi was questioned by host Samson Lardy Anyenini regarding why his institution celebrated profits while denying responsibility for operational losses.
In response, Gyamfi launched a direct attack on Afenyo-Markin, derogatorily describing the Minority Leader as an "extortionist" and claiming that there were undisclosed underlying issues between them. When given the chance by the host to retract or clarify his statements, Gyamfi doubled down on the description, asserting that it was true, and went on to dare the host—a lawyer by profession—to accept Afenyo-Markin’s brief and sue him to substantiate the claims.
This verbal exchange followed earlier tensions where Afenyo-Markin had publicly demanded transparency and accountability from GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana regarding financial losses reported under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP).
Refusing to let the attacks slide, Afenyo-Markin officially announced in Parliament on August 24, 2026, that he had chosen to take the "high moral ground" by submitting himself to the legal process.
The Minority Leader filed two separate writs: suit number GT 1029/2026 at the Accra High Court against Samuel Adu Gyamfi and Multimedia Group Limited, and suit number GR/ACH/CC/C5/02/2026 at the Achimota Circuit Court against National Democratic Congress (NDC) official Eric Adjei and Peace FM, Achimota Circuit Court. In his lawsuit against Gyamfi and Multimedia Group, the plaintiff seeks several substantial reliefs, most notably GH₵15,000,000.00 (Fifteen Million Ghana Cedis) in general, aggravated, and exemplary damages for libel.
Furthermore, Afenyo-Markin is seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain the defendants from further publishing defamatory statements, alongside a court directive forcing them to issue a full, unconditional retraction and a public apology published with the same prominence and reach as the original defamatory broadcast.
Denying the extortion claims entirely, Afenyo-Markin expressed full confidence in the judicial system and publicly challenged his accusers to report their allegations to state investigative bodies, such as the Police or the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), declaring his readiness to cooperate fully with any formal probe to clear his name.
This multi-million cedi lawsuit marks a turning point in the enforcement of accountability within Ghanaian political debate, reminding commentators that freedom of speech does not equate to freedom from legal consequences.
By choosing the courtroom over public mudslinging, Alexander Afenyo-Markin seeks to restore his hard-earned reputation while testing the resilience of Ghana's defamation laws.
As the High Court and Circuit Court prepare to hear these landmark cases, the outcome will undoubtedly shape how political figures, media houses, and public officers engage with one another in the future.
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