Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has secured a significant legal win in the U.S., with a jury in Essex County, New Jersey, awarding him $18 million in damages in a defamation lawsuit against former Ghanaian Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong.

The suit, filed in May 2022, accused Agyapong and media personality Frederick Asamoah of making defamatory statements about Anas during an episode of The Daddy Fred Show, a popular online program among Ghanaian audiences in the United States. According to the lawsuit, Agyapong falsely accused Anas of being a criminal, a thief, and implicated him in the 2019 murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale.

Suale, a key member of Anas’s investigative team, was killed following the release of Number 12, a documentary exposing corruption in Ghana’s football sector. The court filings outlined several specific false claims made by Agyapong, including allegations that Anas had been convicted of crimes in Ghana, orchestrated Suale’s murder, was responsible for the deaths of Chinese nationals in Ghana, and engaged in theft.

Anas’s legal victory in the U.S. contrasts sharply with his recent setbacks in Ghana, where he pursued a defamation suit against Agyapong in 2018. Anas sought GH¢25 million in damages, accusing Agyapong of publishing defamatory material. However, the Accra High Court dismissed the case in March 2023, with Justice Eric Baah ruling that Anas’s investigative methods amounted to “investigative terrorism.” The Supreme Court of Ghana upheld the ruling in early 2024 by a narrow 3-2 decision, affirming Agyapong’s accusations that Anas was an extortionist and blackmailer.

Undeterred, Anas pursued justice on the international stage, ultimately securing a favorable ruling in the U.S. This $18 million award marks a decisive moment in his ongoing battle for justice and reputation, underscoring the legal consequences of defamatory speech.

Source:TheDotNews