Business mogul Ibrahim Mahama has initiated legal action against Bright Simons, Vice President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, filing a defamation suit at the Accra High Court. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, seeks GH₵10 million in damages over what Mr. Mahama describes as false and malicious statements that have harmed his personal and professional reputation.
Mr. Mahama, founder of the engineering and logistics firm Engineers and Planners (E&P), contends that Mr. Simons published an article on April 19, 2025, titled “Ghana Provides a Lesson in How Not to Nationalise a Gold Mine” on his personal website, brightsimons.com. The article was also shared on Mr. Simons’ official X (formerly Twitter) account, @BBSimons, where it gained significant traction—garnering over 93,000 views, 250 reactions, 98 reposts, 26 comments, and 109 bookmarks.
In the publication, Mr. Simons alleged that E&P was facing financial distress, with operations at the Damang gold mine reportedly stalled and creditors said to be “up in arms.” He further implied that Mr. Mahama—brother of former President John Mahama—was benefiting from political favoritism under the government’s mining policies.
Mr. Mahama has strongly denied these claims, describing them as “entirely false and wholly without factual basis.” He asserts that the statements have caused significant reputational harm to both himself and his company, and that the widespread online engagement only amplified the damage.
As part of the reliefs sought, Mr. Mahama is requesting:
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A judicial declaration that the statements made by Bright Simons are defamatory;
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A full retraction and public apology, to be published on all platforms where the original article appeared, as well as in six consecutive full-page advertisements in the Daily Graphic over a three-month period;
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A perpetual injunction restraining Mr. Simons from publishing further defamatory statements about him;
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General damages amounting to GH₵10 million;
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Legal costs and any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The case is expected to attract widespread public and media interest, given the high-profile nature of the individuals involved and the broader implications it may have for freedom of expression and accountability in public discourse.
Below is the statement of claim:
