Referee Maxwell Hanson has sued Samuel Anim Addo, over claims made by the Young Apostles chief on social media channel, X, that the match official is being used by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), to do dirty works for the body.
The Class One referee, is demanding an apology and a retraction of the comments made by Mr Anim Addo, on or before January 17 2025, stating that those assertions are false.
A suit issued by WTS Nobisfields, solicitors for the football match official on January 10, 2025, said, the statements made by Mr Anim Addo, has tarnished the professional image of the referee within the footballing community and, has led to significant reputational damage, distress and loss of goodwill on the person of Maxwell Hanson.
In a tweet on January 9, 2025, Mr Anim Addo wrote among others that, ‘Maxwell Hanson is their man for dirty works ‘, following the comments made by Ghana Premier League (GPL), side Accra Lions after their loss to Dreams FC in a league game at the Tuba Astro Turf, Kasoa.
WTS Nobisfields and Maxwell Hanson, are therefore asking among others, for a delation of the tweet by Mr Anim Addo, apologize and offer compensation for the financial loss incurred.
Below is the full statement of the suit:
WTS Nobisfields
11 Nii Kotey Ablade Avenue East Legon
P. O. Box DT 1210
Accra, Ghana
T +233302500107/0508646424
E: info@wtsnobisfields.com www.wtsnobisfields.com
Sensitivity: Private & Confidential
Samuel Anim Addo Accra, 10 January 2025
Accra
Letter of Claim (Defamation): Maxwell Nana Hanson/ Samuel Anim Addo
Action Required!!! Retraction of X Post on or Before 17 January 2025.
reference: WTS/25/007/TT
Sent by Email and WhatsApp: samanim15 mail.com 0208115825
Dear Samuel Anim Addo
We are writing to you in our capacity as Solicitors representing Maxwell Nana Hanson (our “Client”) whose address is No 7 Banana Avenue, Community 7, Tema.
We are writing in relation to your publication on your social media platform, X, via your account (https://x.com/AnimSammy) under the handle ‘@AnimAddo,’ on 9 January 2025 (the “Publication”). A printout of the Publication is enclosed and labelled as Annex 1.
The Publication referred to our Client explicitly by name and indirectly by context within the Ghana Premier League sphere. While our Client will rely on the entirety of the Publication, including its title and associated implications, our Client’s complaint relates in particular to the following section:
“MAXWELL HANSON IS THEIR MAN FOR ‘DIRTY’ WORKS.
…The intensity of the politicking wasn’t enough to set aside the disgraceful conduct of referee Maxwell Hanson who has become the man for the ‘dirty’ jobs in officiating in the Ghana premier league. I sounded the alarm bells months ago but I was vehemently challenged with every attempt to ‘shush’ me by the leadership of Ghana Football.
We have been suppressing the truth and Accra Lions’ recent complaints following Hanson’s regrettable officiating in their premier league encounter only highlights a phenomenon I called out the GFA about months ago.
I have been vehement in my calls for referee Maxwell Hanson and his likes, still marauding and compromising the appeal, quality and competitiveness of the Ghana premier league, to be ‘flushed’ out. ”
The Publication alleges that our Client is engaged in unethical and corrupt practices in his professional capacity as a referee (“Allegations”). The Allegations are false. Our Client categorically denies any involvement in unethical practices and asserts that his professional reputation has been wrongfully impugned without justification. The statements are baseless and damaging, given that there is no evidence to substantiate these claims.
The publication has caused and/or is likely to cause our Client serious harm. Specifically:
1. The statements have tarnished our Client’s professional reputation within the footballing community.
2. The widespread readership of your X account has led to significant reputational damage, distress, and loss of goodwill.
3. The statements have exposed our Client to public contempt, ridicule, and professional suspicion.
The Publication is highly defamatory of our Client. Our Client therefore requires that you:
WTS Nobisfields is a law firm under the laws of Ghana and is a member of the WTS network of Directors/Partners: Theophilus Tawiah, Joseph Tamakloe wtsglobal
independent member firms affiliated to WTS Global, a Netherlands entity
1. Preserve any information relating to the readership of the Publication, as well as the impressions associated with any social media posts referring to it (“Social Media Posts”), and provide us with that information.
2. Delete the Publication from your X account and procure that any Social Media Posts are removed. 3. Undertake not to re-publish the Publication or Allegations, whether directly or indirectly.
4. Publish, with equivalent prominence to the original Publication, a suitable retraction and apology in terms to be agreed.
5. Archive, pin the apology on your X account so that it remains searchable to users.
6. Compensate our Client for the damage to their reputation, distress, and any financial loss caused.
7. Pay our Client’s legal costs.
In the event that you are not willing to comply with the above requests, our Client will Pi-JrSUe legal action against you without further notice. Those proceedings will be issued in Ghana, which, in light of the nature of the Publication and the impact on our Client’s reputation within Ghana, is the most appropriate forum for the dispute to be heard.
We trust that you will treat this matter with the urgency it deserves and look forward to your prompt compliance on or before 17 January 2025.
This letter is addressed to you without any prejudicial recognition and with reservation of all rights.
cc: Maxwell Nana Hanson
Box Cs 86699
Community 7 Tema
WTS Nobisfields is a law firm under the laws of Ghana and is a member of the WTS network of Directors/Partners: Theophilus Tawiah, Joseph Tamakloe wtsglobal
independent member firms affiliated to WTS Global, a Netherlands entity
Sammy Anim Addo
@AnimSammy
MAXWELL HANSON IS THEIR MAN FOR *DIRTY’ WORKS.
Ghana’s focus the last few weeks has been about the last general elections and inauguration of a new set of political and governance leaders many consider a new dawn following diverse challenges for years now.
The intensity of the politicking wasn’t enough to set aside the disgraceful conduct of referee Maxwell Hanson who has become the man for the ‘dirty’ jobs in officiating in the Ghana premier league-
I sounded the alarm bells months ago but I was vehemently challenged with every attempt to ‘shush’ me by the leadership of Ghana Football.
We have been suppressing the truth and Accra Lions’ recent complaints following Hanson’s regrettable officiating in their premier league encounter only highlights a phenomenon I called out the GFA about months ago.
I have been vehement in my calls for referee Maxwell Hanson and his likes, still marauding and compromising the appeal, quality and
I have been vehement in my calls for referee Maxwell Hanson and his likes, still marauding and compromising the appeal, quality and competitiveness of the Ghana premier league, to be ‘flushed’ out. But, I assume clubs need to experience their handiwork one by one to appreciate my crusade.
I have been threatened many times already that this GFA administration
will ensure foul means to relegate my club, Young Apostles. But, I want to sound caution to them, that, it is not the worst they can do to me and my continuous investment and commitment to Ghana football.
