As of July 2001, Ghana’s parliament unanimously repealed the Criminal Libel and Seditious Laws, which had been used to incarcerate a number of journalists in the past, according to the West African Journalists Association (WAJA). With the amendment, any person accused of committing an offense under the repealed sections will be discharged.
Since Ghana repealed the Criminal Libel Law (July, 2001), libel cases in Ghana will now come under the aegis of civil torts action.
However, in a report release by Modern Ghana as of 2006, 90% of libel cases involve journalists, wherein it can be deduced that there is a possibility that journalists become ignorant in not cross checking information before publication of articles. Hence, there is an urge for journalists to be circumspect in their reportage and if in doubt, seek legal advice about information available to them before going public with it.
Currently, sanctions as a result of conviction of defamation involve suspension of the publication company, and a fine imposed on the journalist and publisher.PREVIOUSBACK TO INT’L DEFAMATION DATABASE HOMENEXT