Tony Lithur applies to dismiss libel suit by Nana Oye

Mr Anthony Lithur, a private legal practitioner and defendant, has filed an application seeking to have the suit of libel levelled against him by Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (Plaintiff) dismissed.He wants the suit dismissed at its inception on a technicality and prevents it from being heard and determined on its merits.The application filed by Mr Lithur is scheduled to be heard on Monday, May 27, 2024, at an Accra High Court.On April 25, 2024, Nana Oye commenced an action at the High Court, Accra against Mr Lithur for libel arising out of certain defamatory statements contained in a divorce petition filed by Mr Lithur on May 2, 2018, for the dissolution of their marriage.In the said petition for divorce, Mr Lithur made several allegations against Nana Oye, which, according to Nana Oye portrayed her as a violent and cruel person, who had no regard for the rights of others except herself and her children.Nana Oye said Mr Lithur went as far as alleging that she on several occasions physically assaulted domest ic staff and relatives, sometimes gleefully swallowing their blood after causing injury to them to taunt them.He also alleged that Nana Oye was engaged in several adulterous relationships during the subsistence of their marriage.Further, Mr Lithur made allegations against Nana Oye concerning her being engaged in corrupt practices and abuse of office as a public official. The allegations against Nana Oye by Mr. Lithur were widely published in the media and on various online and social media platforms which allegedly affected Nana Oye's reputation and opened her up to all manner of ridicule and other acts.This includes an invitation and subsequent arrest by the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) for the alleged acts of corruption and abuse of public office. According to Nana Oye, the allegations made against her by Mr. Lithur were widely believed to be true by a lot of people, since they were coming from her husband, a notion which persists today, with many people, continuing to make derogatory remark s about her based on the things published by Mr. Lithur in the divorce petition.    The divorce is still pending in court and is yet to be determined. The action for libel filed according to the plaintiff was to restore her reputation and dignity which have been soiled and adversely affected by the deliberate and malicious acts of Mr. Lithur in publishing falsehoods against her which he knew would greatly damage her reputation and hurt her in her work as a human rights lawyer.The action aims to mend Nana Oye's reputation and dignity, which have been greatly damaged and reduced by Mr Lithur's deliberate and malicious acts of publishing untruths about her.The suit for libel commenced by Nana Oye against Mr Lithur is currently pending at the High Court (General Jurisdiction Division), Accra. Source: Ghana News Agency