Acting Forestry C'ssion boss sues Abronye DC for defamation

 Acting CEO of Ghana’s Forestry Commission, Hugh Clement A. Brown, has filed a GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit against Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, over what he describes as baseless and damaging accusations aired on the opposition figure’s OHIA TV broadcast.

Filed at the Accra High Court, the suit stems from comments made during the July 10, 2025 episode of “The Evidence,” where Baffoe accused Mr. Brown of forging official documents and illicitly authorising forest land deals—claims the Forestry boss has categorically denied.

According to Mr. Brown’s legal team, the broadcast falsely painted him as corrupt, dishonest, and complicit in illegal mining activities. “The statements were made maliciously and with no factual foundation,” they argued, adding that the allegations have seriously harmed his reputation both within Ghana and abroad.

Brown, a seasoned forester with over three decades of service and a PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology, says the claims are not only defamatory but completely unfounded, especially since he only assumed the role of Acting Chief Executive in January 2025. Yet, Baffoe alleged that Brown issued documents as early as May and June 2024, bearing his signature and authorisation—months before his appointment.

In the lawsuit, Brown is seeking GH¢15 million in general damages and an additional GH¢5 million in exemplary damages. He is also demanding a series of televised and printed apologies to be published on major platforms including GTV, TV3, Joy TV, Daily Graphic, and OHIA TV, as well as digital retractions across all OHIA TV social media accounts.

Baffoe had further claimed that Mr. Brown had manipulated documents to implicate the previous NPP administration in forest-related corruption and diverted funds collected from forest permits into private accounts—a claim Mr. Brown flatly denies.