Former Black Stars defender John Paintsil has taken legal action against three media houses, three sports journalists and an analyst following recent attacks directed towards his new appointment as assistant coach of the Ghana national team.
In a writ dated Thursday, April 4, 2024, Paintsil has filed a lawsuit against Saddick Adams, Christopher Nimley, Patrick Osei Agyemang (Countryman Songo), and Veronica Commey. These journalists have been vocal critics of the state of Ghanaian football, often advocating for reform under the banner of Save Ghana Football.
In addition to the individual journalists, three media houses – Omni Media Limited, Angel Broadcasting Network, and the Multimedia Group – have been named as defendants in the lawsuit. These media houses are linked to the journalists involved.
The legal action stems from Paintsil’s questioning of the motives behind the Save Ghana Football demonstration, which took place on February 14, 2024. His remarks regarding the protest, coupled with his subsequent appointment as assistant coach to Otto Addo, sparked further criticism from individuals like Countryman Songo, who publicly disparaged Paintsil on live television.
Countryman Songo allegedly made unsubstantiated allegations against Paintsil, while other journalists questioned his qualifications for the coaching role, referencing an old “fake certificate” in a statement as reported earlier by 3news.com.
In response to these attacks, Paintsil has enlisted the support of his legal team and initiated court proceedings. The defendants have been served with the writ and have been given eight days to respond and enter an appearance in court.
Meanwhile, John Paintsil, revered for making over 80 caps for the Black Stars including playing significant roles in Ghana’s two World Cup appearances in 2006 and 2010 has began work with Otto Addo.
In their first assignments, Ghana lost 2-1 to Nigeria and settled for a 2-2 draw against Uganda.
