MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, has filed a high-profile defamation lawsuit against Opposition Parliamentarian Sherod Avery Duncan and social media personality, Melissa Ann Atwell, popularly known as ‘Melly Mel’. The lawsuit accused Duncan and Atwell of making defamatory statements against the minister; it was filed in the High Court of Demerara on Friday. Indar is seeking damages exceeding $50 million.

The legal action arose from a live broadcast on August 2, 2024, hosted by Duncan on his popular Facebook page, “Credible Sources.” The broadcast, entitled “IN THE RING SPECIAL | Live from New York with guest ‘Melly Mel’,” featured a discussion between Duncan and Atwell.
During this live session, they allegedly made several defamatory remarks, accusing Minister Indar of corruption, dishonesty, and unethical conduct in his role as a public official.

According to the statement of claim submitted to the court, Atwell made several serious accusations against Minister Indar during the broadcast. She alleged that Indar was involved in corrupt practices, specifically in the allocation of government contracts.
The broadcast in question has had a significant impact on social media. Duncan’s “Credible Sources” page, which boasts 123,000 followers, has seen substantial engagement with the video.

According to the lawsuit, the video has been shared 418 times, received 1,800 reactions, and garnered 1, 400 comments. It has been viewed a staggering 197,000 times.
The lawsuit said that Atwell’s repost of the video on her own Facebook page, which has 125,000 followers, has also gained traction, with 73 shares, 13 comments, and 596 reactions.

Minister Indar contended that these allegations are entirely false and without any basis in fact. The statement of claim emphasised that the words used by Duncan and Atwell in their broadcast were intended to damage his reputation and undermine his credibility as a public official.
The minister argued that the statements have caused significant harm to his professional and personal life, leading to distress, embarrassment, and a tarnished public image.

In response to the alleged defamation, the minister is also seeking aggravated and exemplary damages. Additionally, Minister Indar is requesting an injunction to prevent Duncan and Atwell from making any further defamatory statements about him.
This injunction would also extend to their agents, servants, and any other parties acting on their behalf. The minister is also seeking a court order requiring the defendants to remove all posts related to the defamatory statements from their respective Facebook pages.

Moreover, Minister Indar is asking the court to compel Duncan and Atwell to issue a public retraction and apology. He said that this apology would need to be approved by the court.
Since Atwell lives in Brooklyn, New York, United States of America (USA), the government official is asking the court for permission to serve the lawsuit on her by FedEx Courier Service, or through publishing an advertisement in Kaieteur News’ New York edition.