High Court presided over by Justice Eric Baah has dismissed ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s GHc25 million Ghana cedis defamatory suit against a member of Parliament for Assin Central constituency in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapong.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas, in 2018, dragged the Assin Central, lawmaker to court for defaming him. In his application, Anas prayed to the Court to award aggravated damages of GH¢ 25 million to compensate for the defamatory material published against him by the MP.

In Court

In a lengthy ruling delivered today Wednesday 15 March 2023, the court held that the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas] failed to prove that Kennedy Agyapong defamed him by airing the documentary “Who watches the watchman” but rather, the documentary exposed shady deals that Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his associates were involved in.

The Court further held that Kennedy Agyapong provided sufficient evidence to prove that the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas] used the findings of his work to solicit money from persons implicated in the evidence gathered by him.

The evidence according to the court also proved that those who were able to pay the sums of money demanded b Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his associates, got exempted from videos that were shown to the public.

The court concluded that what Anas is engaged in is not investigative journalism but rather investigative terrorism* and that Kennedy Agyapong was justified to call Anas Aremeyaw Anas “a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist, and evil. 

“I find the claims by the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas) meritless and they are hereby dismissed” Justice Eric Baah ruled.

Publications

According to Anas Aremeyaw Anas, the MP, Kennedy Agyapong, on 29 May 2018, during a live program in Twi on Adom TV, categorically stated that he [Anas] was a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist, and evil.

According to the statement of claim filed by the lawyers of Anas, the defendant, similarly, Mr. Agyapong published defamatory words on 31 May 2018, on Oman FM, a private radio station owned by the defendant [KennedyAgyapong].

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 purported to be those of the investigative journalist in his bid to blow the latter’s cover.

Reputation injured

Anas indicated in his statement of claim that his reputation, especially as a lawyer and as a globally acclaimed investigative journalist, has been egregiously damaged.

“Furthermore, Anas indicate that following the publication, he was inundated with numerous calls from business associates, journalists around the world, social relations, friends, outright strangers, and he has had to answer very mortifying questions,” the statement of claim said.

According to Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Mr. Agyapong published the words complained of knowing them to be false and reckless.

Cost awarded

Lawyers of Kennedy Agyapong after the ruling asked the court to award cost of 1 million Ghana cedis against the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas].

Lawyer for Anas Aremeyaw Anas when he stood on his feet offered to pay Ghc 20,000.00 as cost.

Justice Eric Baah indicated that since the award of cost in such civil cases is at the discretion of the court, he will award cost of GHc 50,000.00 against the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas].