The Court of Appeal in Kumasi has dismissed an application by Bono Regional New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye, seeking to suspend proceedings in a defamation suit filed against him, Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited and another defendant by lawyer and journalist Samson Lardy Anyenini.

A three-member panel presided over by Justice Eric Baah dismissed the application on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and ordered Abronye to pay GH¢10,000 in costs.

The application sought to stay proceedings in the substantive case at the Kumasi High Court pending the determination of an interlocutory appeal filed by Abronye.

The ruling represents another setback for the NPP regional chairman in his attempts to prevent the defamation case from proceeding.

Anyenini instituted the suit in April 2025 over statements allegedly aired on Wontumi TV and Radio, in which he was described as a thief, dishonest and corrupt.

The broadcasts also allegedly accused him of receiving US$50,000 to use his Newsfile programme to discredit Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, a Member of Parliament.

Anyenini has denied the allegations and is seeking substantial damages and other reliefs against Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited, programme host Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah and Abronye.

The allegations remain contested and are yet to be determined by the court.

Series of legal challenges

Abronye’s attempts to stop the case date back to challenges over the competence of the suit and the payment of filing fees.

On November 28, 2025, the Kumasi High Court rejected his application to strike out the action. Although the court directed a reassessment of the filing fees, it dismissed his other procedural objections.

The disagreement over the fees subsequently resulted in a petition to the Chief Justice and a Judicial Service circular issued on February 4, 2026, clarifying the assessment of filing fees in defamation cases.

Abronye later returned to the High Court, seeking to have the suit struck out over alleged non-compliance with the earlier order.

That application was dismissed on April 17, 2026, with the court directing the defendants to file the requisite processes within 14 days.

He subsequently appealed and applied for a stay of proceedings, but the High Court rejected the application on May 26, 2026.

His latest attempt to suspend the case before the Court of Appeal has now also failed, with the court imposing GH¢10,000 in costs against him.

According to the account of the proceedings, Abronye had yet to file a Statement of Defence responding to the allegations approximately 18 months after the suit was commenced.

Wontumi Multimedia seeks settlement

Meanwhile, Wontumi Multimedia Company Limited has reportedly approached Anyenini to explore an amicable settlement on behalf of the company and its programme host, Kwaku Kyeremanteng Nkansah.

Abronye, the third defendant, is represented by lawyer David Boakye Mensah, while Anyenini is represented by Etornam Caleb Afutu. Kwadwo Bediako-Baryeh held brief for Anyenini’s counsel during Wednesday’s hearing.

The latest decision does not determine the merits of the defamation allegations or resolve Abronye’s pending interlocutory appeal.

It does, however, remove his latest attempt to halt proceedings, allowing the substantive action before the Kumasi High Court to move forward, subject to any further orders of the court.