Professor Samuel Ato Duncan, the Executive President of the Centre of Awareness Global Distribution, producers of COA Mixture, formerly known as COA-FS, an immune booster medication, is to cough up GH¢2 million in damages for defaming the Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority, Mrs. Delese Mimi Darko.
Professor Duncan in 2020 accused the FDA boss of demanding a bribe of GHc200,000, so he could get the green light to continue selling his products which had come under scrutiny.
Professor Duncan made the allegation in a report put together by journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure.
Prof. Duncan is said to have tried to bribe the FDA chief to get her to reverse her outfit’s decision to suspend the production of COA – FS following some of the company’s defective products on the market.
The Cape Coast High Court, presided over by her Ladyship Justice Patience Mills-Tetteh, on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, said the COA Mixture boss acted with malice by going to the press with such an allegation after efforts to manipulate the FDA CEO failed.
The Court turned down the professor’s defence that he had granted the interview in the public interest.
The Court also noted that the effects of the Professor’s defamatory publication had spilled over into other publications by other media outlets.
The court ordered the COA Mixture boss to publish an unqualified apology and retraction on the front pages of major newspapers within 14 days of the judgment.
The court also ordered the Professor to pay the sum of GHS2,000,000 to Mrs Delese Mimi Darko as damages for the defamatory publication and for the damage caused to her reputation.
