Ibrahim Mahama (L) has accused Bright Simons (R) of defaming him in an article
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has pledged to vigorously contest a GH₵10 million defamation lawsuit filed against him by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Engineers & Planners (E&P) and brother of President John Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama.
Bright Simons described the lawsuit as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), aimed at stifling scrutiny of powerful individuals and their businesses.
The lawsuit, filed at the Accra High Court on May 28, 2025, stems from an April 19 article by Simons titled “Ghana Provides a Lesson in How Not to Nationalise a Gold Mine,” published on his website and shared on his X account.
Ibrahim Mahama in his lawsuit, claims that Bright Simons’ assertions about E&P’s financial struggles, including reduced operations at Gold Fields’ Damang mine and creditors being “up in arms” over delayed payments, were false and damaging to his reputation and business.
Mahama is seeking GH₵10 in damages, a public apology, and an injunction to prevent further statements.
However, in a statement issued on May 29, 2025, Bright Simons rejected the allegations, insisting that his article was based on factual industry data, including Gold Fields’ reports on production declines at Damang.
“There is nothing in the comments complained of that can remotely be described as defamatory,” he said, dismissing the claims as baseless.
He argued that the phrase “up in arms” was a common expression for dissatisfaction, not defamatory, and vowed to subpoena creditors to testify about their demands if necessary.
He also labeled the lawsuit an attempt to intimidate analysts and activists from examining companies like E&P, particularly those linked to public resources or political figures.
“It is designed to scare away analysts and activists from even the most basic scrutiny of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama and his company,” he stated, emphasizing the need for accountability in such cases.
He added, “The fear of lawsuits has created an atmosphere of censorship in Ghana whenever the interests of powerful and wealthy companies are placed in the spotlight. I for one do not intend to honour this tradition.”
Simons affirmed his commitment to defending the case, stating, “Accountability, as I like to say, is a marathon,” and promised to prove in court that his statements were justified and in the public interest.
Read the full statement by Bright Simons below:
1. This afternoon, I saw in the media that the brother of Ghana’s President has filed a suit against me for defamation. I also got a copy of the writ online.
2. He is unhappy because:
A. I said his company has been “hit” financially as a result of a mining company’s decision to… pic.twitter.com/DxvOH7jEhB
— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) May 29, 2025