Gary Nimako Marfo, former Board Chairman of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has filed a GHS 10 million defamation lawsuit against the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and several affiliated journalists over an investigative report published by The Fourth Estate on September 29, 2025.
The report, headlined “Lottery Bonanza: How NLA gave away GHC3 billion prime business in exchange for peanuts,” alleged that the NLA handed over a lucrative GHS 3 billion revenue stream from its 5/90 online lottery business to KGL Technology Limited for a significantly undervalued sum.
The publication featured photographs of Mr. Nimako, former NLA Director-General Sammy Awuku, and Alex Dadey, Group Chairman of KGL Group, highlighting contracts that granted KGL exclusive rights to operate the 5/90 lottery via USSD on mobile phones.
The initial contract was signed in 2019 by then Director-General Kofi Osei Ameyaw for three years, followed by a 10-year renewal in 2022 under Mr. Awuku’s leadership and the Board chaired by Mr. Nimako.
In 2024, the Board signed an extended 15-year contract with KGL, automatically renewable for another five years, cementing a long-term partnership.
However, Mr. Nimako contends that the report falsely implies that the NLA and its Board granted the contract to KGL without due diligence and at undervalued terms, damaging his reputation and that of the Board members.
He argues the report failed to show evidence supporting claims that the NLA could have independently generated GHS 3 billion revenue but instead gave the business away “for peanuts.”
The lawsuit further states the software used for the online lottery was developed by KGL prior to Mr. Nimako’s chairmanship and was not the property of the NLA.
The writ, filed at the High Court in Accra, demands the defendants including journalists Seth Bokpe, Sulemana Braimah, William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, Philip Teye Agbove, and MFWA to respond within eight days.
Also, it seeks declarations that the publication was defamatory, malicious, and intended to tarnish the plaintiff’s public image, along with an official retraction and apology published with similar prominence.
Mr. Nimako again demands compensatory damages totaling GHS 10 million and costs including legal fees.
The plaintiff asserts the Board deliberately structured contract terms with fixed quarterly revenue payments to ensure financial planning stability, noting no other operators in the lottery space pay comparable royalties.
He further claims the defendants ignored key documents like Board minutes and memos explaining the rationale behind contract durations and revenue arrangements, highlighting the publication’s purported malicious intent.
Here is the full writ of summons:
30092025_WRIT OF SUMMONS (Order 2rule 3(1)
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
