Former Red Cross president and the present Associate Minister for Trade, Muagututagata Peter Ah Him, has failed in an appeal against a Supreme Court ruling that dismissed his claim for compensation over defamation.
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Muagututagata and five other board members removed by the local Red Cross claimed the organisation’s publication of allegations they misappropriated funds and misused their power warranted compensation of a quarter of a million U.S. dollars.
There have never been any criminal charges brought over the allegations but the minister and others had sought compensation for defamation.
In a ruling, the Court of Appeal awarded four of the plaintiffs U.S. $500 each plus legal costs to a total amount of U.S. $5,000.
But Muagututagata failed to overturn the original court decision and he has been ordered to pay the respondents U.S. $10 thousand in legal costs.
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