Lawyers for Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin have rejected claims that their client is responsible for delays in the service of a defamation writ against Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi.
Dehyena Chambers, representing Mr Afenyo-Markin, says the legal processes have already been served and that Mr Gyamfi is now required to respond to the suit.
The firm’s position follows correspondence from Ayine & Partners, lawyers for Mr Gyamfi, indicating that they had been authorised to accept the writ and other court processes on his behalf.
In a letter dated August 26, 2026, the lawyers directed that the processes be served through their chambers at East Legon, Accra.
According to Dehyena Chambers, the writ was subsequently delivered to Mr Gyamfi’s lawyers but was returned to the court registry the following day.
The lawyers further alleged that an attempt was made to personally serve Mr Gyamfi at his office on August 27, but that he declined to accept the process and instructed security personnel to remove the court bailiff.
Dehyena Chambers therefore argued that the circumstances do not support any suggestion that Mr Afenyo-Markin is avoiding service.
The lawyers stressed that responsibility for serving court processes rests with the court registry and its bailiff, rather than the plaintiff who initiated the action.
They further relied on Order 7, Rule 12(2) of C.I. 47, arguing that where a lawyer gives a written undertaking to accept service on behalf of a party, service on that lawyer constitutes valid service.
“It must be emphasised that it is the Defendant who first authorised his lawyers to accept service of the writ which they complied only for the lawyers to return the process after service had been effected on them,” the firm said.
The lawyers maintained that the subsequent attempt at personal service, and the alleged refusal to accept the writ, does not invalidate the earlier service through the authorised lawyers.
They consequently insisted that Mr Gyamfi has been duly served and is legally required to enter an appearance and file his defence before the court.
The firm also urged persons circulating claims that the Minority Leader was avoiding service to desist, saying the correspondence between the parties and the bailiff’s official record provide evidence of what transpired.
“Once his solicitors accepted the writ, Mr Sammy Gyamfi is fixed with knowledge of the writ against him and is required by law to file his appearance and defence to the suit before the Court,” the statement said.
The legal dispute stems from an escalating public disagreement between Mr Afenyo-Markin and Mr Gyamfi over GoldBod’s operations and reported losses associated with the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
Mr Afenyo-Markin subsequently initiated a defamation action over comments attributed to the GoldBod CEO, including an alleged description of the Minority Leader as an “extortionist.”
The latest development has now shifted attention to the technical question of whether valid service of the writ has been completed, with the two sides presenting competing accounts of the events surrounding the delivery of the court documents.
