Anthony Sarfo, an Accra-based journalist has welcomed a decision by the Accra High Court to award in excess of GH¢1million to him for the malicious prosecution of him by legendary Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan.
In an interview with Starr FM, after the ruling on Friday, 08 December 2023, Anthony Sarfo explained that the ruling vindicates him and is enough reparation for all the suffering he endured during the prosecution of the defamation and extortion case filed against him by Asamoah Gyan.
“My case was that Asamoah Gyan and his team made wild allegations against me that I had planned to extort money from them through a publication involving one Sarah Kwabalah. It turned out that it is not true. It turned out to be false.
“They also collaborated with the police to have me prosecuted for almost four years. At the end of the day, I was acquitted and discharged. Looking at the gravity of the situation that I went through, I decided to sue them for malicious prosecution and that is basically what we got judgement for today. The judge said he looked at the all the elements for determining malicious prosecution and I tick all the boxes.
The Accra High Court presided by Justice Ernest Owusu Dapaa on Friday, December 8, 2023 fined former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan over GH¢1million for the malicious prosecution of Anthony Sarfo.
The fine comes after the Court found Gyan guilty of malicious prosecution of the journalist.
Gyan initially sued Sarfo and four others for extortion over the publication of an alleged rape incident between the former Black Stars skipper and one Sarah Kwablah.
Sarfo along with the four other individuals were arrested and charged but they were later found not guilty and acquitted.
Following his release, Anthony Sarfo sued Gyan and his manager Anim Addo for malicious prosecution and demanded GH¢1 million as compensation.
The Court presided by Justice Ernest Owusu Dapaa, announced the ruling on Friday, December 8, finding Gyan and his manager, Samuel Anim Addo, culpable for falsely accusing the plaintiff of extortion and unlawful arrest.
According to Starr FM, the Court also indicated that the arrest, which was pursued by Aim Addo was to protect Gyan's image to complete a move to China at that time. Hence, the arrest was for Gyan's protection and not the publication.
In that regard, the Court awarded Anthony Sarfo GH¢900,000 in damages, GH¢111,000 for the 111 months he was out of work, which paid him GH¢1,000 at the time.
Anim Addo and Asamoah Gyan were both charged GH¢60,000, bringing the total to GH¢1,071,000.
Anthony Sarfo, journalist and legendary Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan