Monrovia—Ecobank Liberia Limited has filed a response to a US$700,000 libel lawsuit from Wilmot Smith, former Director General for Information Coordination at the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
By: Victoria G. Wesseh
Smith’s lawsuit seeks $500,000 in general damages and $200,000 in punitive damages, alleging that an Ecobank employee, Yussif S. Kromah, disseminated false information that damaged his reputation.
Mr. Smith claims Kromah provided sensitive bank statements to Alex Williams, an employee of LISGIS and a partner at Spoon TV, who then misrepresented the information publicly, implicating Smith in the unauthorized withdrawal of funds intended for census enumerators.
Mr. Smith argues that while Ecobank did not directly defame him, the bank is liable for Kromah’s actions under the doctrine of respondeat superior, which holds employers accountable for their employees’ conduct within the scope of their employment.
In its response, Ecobank contends that Kromah acted outside his official duties and that the bank took prompt action to investigate and terminate him.
The bank maintains that the account in question belongs to a government agency, not to Smith, and asserts that he has not suffered any damages directly attributable to the bank’s actions.
Ecobank argues that Smith should direct his suit against Kromah and Williams, who are responsible for the alleged misrepresentations.
The bank emphasizes that it did not participate in any public discussions regarding Smith or his employment status and has no motive to damage his reputation.
Furthermore, Ecobank states that its investigation was conducted following a request from the Minister of Finance, unrelated to Smith, and that it acted swiftly to address any wrongdoing by Kromah.
The bank claims its reputation as a supporter of government transparency and privacy remains intact and that Kromah’s unauthorized actions do not implicate Ecobank.
The case continues as both parties prepare for further proceedings.
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