Forestry commission CEO, Abronye
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Dr Hugh Clement A. Brown, has initiated a defamation lawsuit against the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, seeking GH¢20 million in damages over claims made during a televised broadcast on July 10, 2025.
The suit stems from allegations aired on Mr. Baffoe’s digital television platform, OHIA TV, specifically on the programme “The Evidence.” During the broadcast, Mr. Baffoe accused Dr Brown of engaging in a series of unlawful activities, including the forgery of official documents, unauthorized sale of forest reserves, and backdating of letters to allegedly implicate the previous administration in fraudulent transactions.
In a statement of claim filed at the High Court, Dr Brown described the comments as false, malicious, and intended to severely damage his personal and professional reputation, both in Ghana and internationally.
Seeking Justice and Reputation Restoration
Dr Brown is seeking GH¢15 million in general damages for libel and an additional GH¢5 million in exemplary damages, arguing that the defamatory content was intentionally designed to scandalise and discredit him in the public eye. His legal team is also demanding multiple public retractions and televised apologies across major media platforms including GTV, TV3, Joy TV, and OHIA TV. He further requests that printed apologies appear in the Daily Graphic for four consecutive weeks and that a formal apology be published across all OHIA TV digital platforms.
“The statements were made maliciously and without any factual basis,” Dr Brown stated in court documents. “They were calculated to portray me as dishonest, corrupt, and unfit for public office.”
Dr Brown, a respected forester and academic with a PhD in Tropical Forest Ecology, has worked with the Forestry Commission since 1993, holding several senior roles, including Director of Operations and Executive Director of the Forest Services Division. He was appointed Acting Chief Executive in January 2025 following years of dedicated public service in the environmental sector.
Abronye’s Allegations and the Core of the Dispute
In the controversial broadcast, Mr. Baffoe alleged that Dr Brown backdated official documents to May and June 2024—months before his formal appointment as Acting CEO—to facilitate payments from mining companies seeking forest entry permits. According to Baffoe, these documents bore Dr Brown’s signature and were strategically dated to suggest the transactions occurred under the previous NPP-led government, thereby implicating the party in illegal mining activities.
“If you backdate a letter to make it look like these events happened under the NPP regime, then you are engaging in forgery,” Mr. Baffoe asserted on-air.
The NPP executive went further to claim that unauthorized payments were collected through unofficial channels, with proceeds from forest reserves allegedly diverted into private accounts.
Dr Brown Denies All Allegations
In a detailed response through his lawyers, Dr Brown categorically denied all allegations, asserting that he was not in office at the time the documents were purportedly signed and had no involvement in any such transactions. He also rejected the notion that he intended to tarnish the reputation of the NPP or its former officials.
“There is no truth whatsoever to the claims made by Mr. Baffoe. I did not sign, authorize, or backdate any documents as alleged. These falsehoods are an attack on my integrity and decades of public service.”
Legal counsel for Dr Brown contends that the defamatory statements imply their client is “an embezzler, a dishonest and fraudulent person, and a thief,” which they argue has undermined public confidence in both the Forestry Commission and its leadership.
Awaiting a Response
As of the time of reporting, Mr. Baffoe has not formally responded to the lawsuit. It remains unclear whether he intends to contest the matter in court or issue a public apology.
This legal battle is likely to spark further public discourse on the role of responsible journalism in the digital era, especially as social media and online broadcasting platforms become increasingly influential in shaping public opinion.
Source: My News Ghana
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