Business mogul Ibrahim Mahama and his company, Engineers & Planners Company Limited (E&P), have filed a defamation lawsuit at the High Court in Accra against policy analyst and Vice President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Bright Simons.
The suit, signed by the Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffour Bonnie, stems from allegations contained in an article authored by Bright Simons and published on his website, as well as shared on his social media platforms, which the Plaintiffs say are false, malicious, and injurious to their reputation.
According to the Writ of Summons filed at the High Court, the Plaintiffs—Ibrahim. Mahama, whose address is listed as C11/21 Alajo Link Road, Abelenkpe, Accra, and Engineers & Planners, located at the same address, are demanding a declaration that the statements made by the Defendant are defamatory.
They are seeking GHS10 million in general damages, a retraction and apology to be published over six consecutive occasions in the Daily Graphic newspaper and on all platforms where the alleged defamatory statements were published, a perpetual injunction, and legal costs.
The central issue of contention revolves around an article authored by Mr. Simons titled “Ghana Provides a Lesson in How Not to Nationalise a Gold Mine”, published on April 19, 2025, on his website, brightsimons.com.
“The Plaintiffs repeat the averments contained in the immediately preceding paragraph and state that as at the 8th day of May 2025, the said post had generated no less than 93,000 views, 250 reactions, 98 reposts, 26 comments, and 109 bookmarks, thereby causing widespread dissemination of the defamatory statements.”
Ibrahim Mahama and Engineers & Planners
Defamatory Innuedoes
The Plaintiffs contend that the article contains defamatory innuendos which portray them as the masterminds behind the Government of Ghana’s alleged decision not to renew Gold Fields’ mining lease at the Damang Gold Mine.
The publication is further alleged to suggest that Mr. Mahama has been leveraging his familial ties with President John Dramani Mahama to obtain unfair business advantages and engage in unethical practices.
These assertions, the Plaintiffs say, were made with malice and designed to discredit them in the eyes of the public, their business partners, and financiers.
Engineers & Planners, the second Plaintiff, maintains that it is a leading mining and construction services company operating in Ghana and the wider West African region.
The firm described itself as having a strong track record in executing major mining and infrastructure projects, including its role as the primary contractor at Abosso Goldfields Limited’s Damang Mine.
The company says it has consistently exceeded production targets and maintained exemplary safety standards, earning the trust of financiers, including the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development.
The Plaintiffs argue that their long-standing reputation, cultivated through decades of lawful and diligent operations across multiple jurisdictions, is now under threat due to the Defendant’s statements.
“The Plaintiffs further state that the said defamatory statements have caused substantial damage to the 1st Plaintiff’s hard-earned reputation as a legitimate businessman who conducts his affairs with integrity and in accordance with sound commercial principles.
“The Plaintiffs state that the said defamatory statements have damaged the 2nd Plaintiff’s reputation as a reputable mining contractor with strong financial standing and credibility in the mining industry”.
Ibrahim Mahama and Engineers & Planners
Failure to Retract
Mr. Mahama and his company say they acted swiftly by instructing their solicitors to demand an immediate retraction and unqualified apology from Bright Simons on April 22, 2025.
However, they assert that the Defendant has “failed, refused, or neglected” to comply with the demand and has shown no intention of withdrawing the claims unless compelled by the Court.
In their statement of claim, the Plaintiffs are emphatic that Bright Simons’ article implies that: they are responsible for the government’s decision not to renew Gold Fields’ mining lease; they intentionally undermined Gold Fields’ chances of securing a renewal; and Mr. Mahama is exploiting his relationship with the President to gain illicit business advantages.
They further argue that the falsehoods have subjected them to public shame and ridicule, eroding the professional standing and trust they have cultivated in both local and international business communities.
As part of their reliefs, the Plaintiffs are requesting the Court to: declare the statements defamatory; order a public retraction and apology in the Daily Graphic and all online platforms where the article was shared.
Other reliefs include granting a perpetual injunction against Bright Simons from repeating the defamatory comments; an award of general damages of GHS10 million; and compelling the Defendant to pay the full costs of the legal proceedings.
The writ warns Mr. Simons to enter an appearance within eight days of service, failing which judgment may be entered against him in default.
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