African magazine ordered to pay €96,000 for defamation

The article titled "Drug trafficking at top of the state, Togo in the network, Mey Gnassingbe fingered" implicated the president's half-brother in a drug trafficking network.

In addition to awarding the damages, the court also banned the distribution in Togo of Tribune d'Afrique, which is edited in neighbouring Benin.

The magazine's publisher, Max Carmel Savi, said they plan to appeal the court's ruling.

"I am shocked by this decision and heavy fine," Savi said, saying the articling had not in fact implicated Mey Gnassingbe in drug trafficking.

Over a dozen defamation cases are now in front of Togo's courts, including one in which the president is seeking over €150,000 in damages.

Source: AFP