Randy Abbey slaps Abronye with GHS 20m defamation suit

Acting Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD and veteran broadcaster, Dr Randy Abbey, has initiated legal action against the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, widely known as Abronye DC, over what he describes as false and damaging allegations.

The writ, filed on Tuesday, 26 August 2025, seeks GHS 20 million in general, punitive, and compensatory damages, alongside a series of other reliefs. Dr Abbey’s lawyers argue that Abronye’s accusations — made during a public broadcast and subsequently circulated online — were “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

Abronye had alleged that Dr Abbey misused state resources, manipulated internal appointments for personal gain, and even transported his personal chair in convoys of Land Cruisers from Accra to cocoa farms because he allegedly refused to sit on chairs offered by farmers.

Dr Abbey has firmly rejected the claims, describing them as entirely fabricated with the intent to tarnish his reputation and erode public trust in COCOBOD. His legal team maintains that such reckless commentary undermines accountability and weakens confidence in state institutions.

The reliefs being sought include a declaration that Abronye’s statements are defamatory, a full retraction and unqualified apology to be published on all platforms, removal of the defamatory content from circulation, and a perpetual injunction barring Abronye from making similar remarks in the future. Legal costs are also being pursued.

This case underscores a broader concern about the rise of unverified allegations in Ghana’s political space. Significantly, it marks the second high-profile defamation suit against Abronye in less than two months. In July 2025, Hugh Clement A. Brown, Acting Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, also sued him for defamation, demanding GHS 20 million.

Abronye has yet to issue a public response to the latest lawsuit.