Anastasia Odametey, the student who previously accused Dr Benedict Tetteh Yartey, founder and CEO of British Columbia College (BCC) and a former judge on TV3’s Talented Kidz, of sexual harassment has moved to settle the resulting defamation case out of court. Her lawyers have proposed an unqualified apology as part of efforts to resolve the matter amicably.
In a letter dated 13 October 2026 and marked “Without Prejudice,” Samuel Ofosu, Esq. of Sory & Partners wrote to Dame and Partners, the firm representing Dr Yartey and the school. The letter stated that Odametey was prepared to explore an amicable resolution to avoid the time, expense and inconvenience of continued litigation. It specifically offered an unqualified apology to the plaintiffs as part of any mutually acceptable settlement.
The correspondence became public on 15 October 2026 after veteran broadcaster Johnnie Beresford Hughes shared it on Facebook, prompting strong reactions from many Ghanaians who urged Dr Yartey to reject the offer and pursue the case to its conclusion in court.
Background to the Case
The defamation suit (case number GJ/0995/2025) was filed at the High Court in Accra on 16 July 2025 by Dr Yartey and British Columbia College against Anastasia Odametey and others. It arose from social media publications, including a widely circulated video in which Odametey, then reported to be 17, accused the educationist of sexual harassment and repeated inappropriate touching. 
Dr Yartey and the school have consistently denied the allegations, describing them as false and highly damaging to both his personal reputation and the institution’s standing. Early reports indicated that Odametey’s own mother and father had publicly rejected aspects of her claims, with the mother expressing shock at what she called baseless accusations. The school also stated that Odametey had been suspended earlier for disciplinary issues unrelated to the allegations, including derogatory remarks toward staff, and that she had overstayed the suspension before making the social media posts. 
Police reportedly questioned Odametey in connection with the matter, and earlier accounts indicated she had admitted the claims were false. The controversy at the time sparked public debate about student welfare, institutional handling of complaints, and the impact of unverified social media allegations.
Current Status
The settlement proposal does not confirm that any agreement has been reached, nor does it outline financial terms or other specific conditions. It remains for Dr Yartey’s legal team to respond. The case is still active at the High Court unless and until the parties formalise a settlement or the court otherwise disposes of it.
Dr Benedict Yartey is a well-known Ghanaian educationist, musician and public figure, recognised for his long association with TV3’s Talented Kidz and as the founder and principal of British Columbia College, a K-12 international school in Accra.
The latest development marks a significant shift more than a year after the lawsuit was instituted, raising questions about whether the parties will now close the chapter privately or continue the legal process.
