US Jury awards Anas $18 million towards Kennedy Agyapong in Defamation Swimsuit
A jury of the Essex County Superior Court docket in New Jersey, United States, has returned a verdict in favour of Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his $18 million defamation lawsuit towards former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.
In a unanimous determination, the eight-member jury discovered Mr Agyapong responsible for defamation over feedback he made on The Daddy Present, hosted by US-based Ghanaian presenter Frederick Asamoah.
Presided over by Honourable Choose Jeffrey B. Beacham, the case noticed Mr Agyapong take the stand alongside his brother, Ralph Agyapong.
The previous lawmaker reportedly launched audiovisual proof below the title Who Watches the Watchman and cited a Ghanaian courtroom ruling in his defence.
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Nonetheless, regardless of these efforts, the case was completely ready and introduced by Anas’s authorized workforce, led by Andrew Deheer, Esq. The jury finally delivered an 8-0 verdict on each rely towards Mr Agyapong, who was current in courtroom.
In the meantime, experiences point out that attorneys for Mr Agyapong have moved for a mistrial, with a ruling anticipated within the coming weeks.
Background
On 7 September 2021, whereas showing on The Daddy Present, Mr Agyapong accused Anas of being a “prison” and a “thief.” He additionally alleged that Anas had a task within the homicide of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale and was concerned within the deaths of Chinese language nationals in Ghana.
Anas, famend for his undercover journalism exposing corruption, argued that these statements severely broken his fame and put his life in danger.
Within the go well with filed in Might 2022 within the US, he sought the next reliefs from the courtroom:
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a. An award of presumed damages within the quantity of 5 million (5,000,000.00) United States {Dollars};
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b. An award of particular damages within the quantity of ten million (10,000,000.00) United States {Dollars};
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c. An award of precise damages within the quantity of 5 million (5,000,000.00) United States {Dollars};
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d. An award of punitive damages within the quantity of ten million (10,000,000.00) United States {Dollars};
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e. An order restraining the First Defendant from additional making the utterances complained of; and ordering the Second Defendant to completely delete all defamatory statements it has revealed in regards to the Plaintiff on the worldwide net.
Defamation Swimsuit in Ghana
In 2018, Anas sued Kennedy Agyapong in Ghana for defamation after feedback made following the airing of the BBC documentary Betraying the Game. He sought GH¢25 million in damages.
Nonetheless, on 15 March 2023, an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Eric Baah, dismissed the case, ruling that it lacked advantage. The court also ordered Anas to pay GH¢50,000 in prices.
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Following this, Anas filed an utility for certiorari on the Supreme Court, difficult the Excessive Court docket’s ruling. Nonetheless, on 18 February 2024, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court docket, led by Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, rejected the applying by majority determination, upholding the Excessive Court docket’s judgment.
