In a recent legal battle, the court has ruled in favor of Ghanaian forex trader Bright Kojo Onipayede, popularly known as Kojo Forex, in his defamation lawsuit against social media commentator Albert Nathaniel Hyde, alias Bongo Ideas.
The court found that Hyde’s statements on Twitter were defamatory and ordered him to pay damages totaling GHC150,000.
Background of the Case
The dispute began in March 2022 when Hyde approached Onipayede at a social event, seeking mentorship in forex trading. After Onipayede declined to engage, Hyde allegedly began posting defamatory statements about him on Twitter starting in February 2023. These posts included accusations of fraudulent activities and unethical business practices.
Legal Proceedings and Court Findings
Onipayede filed a defamation lawsuit, asserting that Hyde’s tweets damaged his reputation and led to a significant decline in enrollments at his forex academy. The court examined several key issues:
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Defamatory Nature of the Statements: The court determined that Hyde’s tweets were defamatory, as they falsely portrayed Onipayede as a fraudster and engaged in illicit activities.
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Reference to the Plaintiff: It was established that the defamatory statements were directed at Onipayede, given the explicit mentions and context within the tweets.
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Entitlement to Reliefs: The court concluded that Onipayede was entitled to remedies due to the harm caused to his reputation and business.
Court Orders
As a result, the court issued the following orders:
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Public Apology and Retraction: Hyde is required to issue an unqualified public apology and retract the defamatory statements on his Twitter account within 21 days.
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Perpetual Injunction: A permanent injunction restraining Hyde from making further defamatory statements about Onipayede.
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Damages: Hyde is ordered to pay GHC100,000 in general damages and an additional GHC50,000 covering aggravated, exemplary, and compensatory damages.
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Legal Costs: Hyde must also cover legal costs amounting to GHC20,000.
