Award-winning investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has said that another defamation suit he filed in the United States against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, is still ongoing.

According to him, the suit he filed in the US against Ken Agyapong is similar to the suit that was thrown out by the High Court in Accra on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

“Last year we also filed another defamation action against the MP. The case is ongoing. As a student and practitioner, I strongly believe in the rule of law,” he said.

Anas also said that he will appeal the ruling of the High Court on the defamation lawsuit he filed against Kennedy Agyapong, a presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, the judge who presided over the case treated him as if he was the one on trial and accused him of crimes without evidence.

Anas, who made these remarks in a video shared on social media, added that the action of the judge was an overreach and he and his team have decided to file an appeal against his ruling.

“My team of lawyers and I have carefully studied the judgement delivered by the court and we are unanimous that the judge made an overreach … and made criminal pronouncement about me as if I was standing a criminal trial.

“He also justified that MP accusing me of the murder of the late JB Danquah, murder of 20 Chinese nationals and a host of other crimes. We are filing an appeal because there was no evidence provided,” he said.

The Accra High Court dismissed the GHC25 million defamation suit against Ken Agyapong, a presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party, brought by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

According to 3news.com, the judge, Justice Eric Baah, was of the view that Anas did not prove Ken Agyapong defamed him by airing the documentary – “Who watches the watchman” – but rather, the documentary exposed shady deals that Anas and his associates were involved in.

The Assin Central MP has been facing a GHC25 million suit from Anas over some comments he (MP)
had allegedly made against the investigative journalist in public after airing his investigative piece #Number 12, which exposed some rots in Ghana Football.

The judge even told Anas that what he practices is not investigative journalism, but “investigative terrorism’’.

Background:

Sometime in 2018, the ace international investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, dragged the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, to court for defaming him.

Anas was asking the High Court to award aggravated damages to the tune of GHC25 million arising from defamatory materials published by the MP.

He said the MP had been publishing materials in his bid to discredit him after releasing an explosive piece on the rot in Ghanaian football.

Displeased with the MP’s actions, Anas, through his lawyer, Mr Kissi Agyebeng, sued Mr Agyapong for the award of general damages for defamation in the defendant’s publications.

A journalist, Mr Listowell Yesu Bukarson, has been granted the power of attorney to stand in for Anas.

Publications:

The publications complained of include a live programme in Twi on Adom TV, on May 29, 2018, where Ken Agyapong categorically stated that Anas was a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist and evil.

According to the statement of claim, the defendant, in a similar manner, published defamatory words on May 31, 2018, via Oman FM, a private radio station owned by the defendant.

The statement of claim also stated that the defendant published more defamatory materials against the plaintiff via other platforms, to the extent of releasing pictures purportedly those of the investigative journalist in his bid to blow the latter’s cover.

Watch the video below:



IB/OGB