THE High Court has handed down a $35 million judgment against Guyanese social media influencer Melissa Ann Atwell, popularly known as “Melly Mell,” after ruling that a series of Facebook posts she made in June 2019 defamed Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital Inc. and its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Madhu Singh.

Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln, delivering the decision on September 3, 2025, found that the 33 posts published over five days accused the hospital and Dr. Singh of medical negligence, malpractice, and questionable billing practices. The court determined that the statements amounted to a “very serious form of libel,” striking at their professional reputation.
As part of the ruling, Atwell must also remove all defamatory material from her Facebook account and pay prescribed costs of $3.15 million.

Dr. Singh, a gynaecologist and obstetrician, told the court that the allegations subjected her to ridicule among medical colleagues, harassment, online trolling, and even anonymous threats. Although no evidence of financial loss or lasting psychological harm was presented, the court accepted that the publications caused her “distress, hurt and humiliation.”
The court awarded $15 million in damages to the hospital and $20 million to Dr. Singh, both inclusive of aggravated damages.
In her written decision, Justice Corbin-Lincoln pointed out that Atwell made no attempt to verify the claims before publishing them and continued to defend the allegations without providing proof, which further aggravated the damages.

“Facebook libel was appropriately described as ‘libel without borders’… its use to circulate unverified defamatory allegations which cannot be proved must be met with the appropriate consequences,” the ruling stated.

Senior Counsel Robin Stoby, along with Stephen Fraser, S.C., and Shantel Scott-Lall, represented the hospital and Dr. Singh. Atwell was represented by attorneys Sanjeev Datadin, Donovan Rangiah, Anessa Chow, and Mohanie Anagnaoo.