A U.S. court has awarded investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18 million in a defamation case against Kennedy Agyapong, the former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Ghana.
The verdict, delivered by the Essex County Superior Court, follows a lawsuit Anas filed against Agyapong over remarks made during an interview on The Daddy Fred Show on September 7, 2021.
During the Twi-language broadcast, hosted by Frederick Asamoah, a U.S.-based Ghanaian, Agyapong accused Anas of being a thief and a criminal.
This update was shared on Facebook by prominent legal expert and political analyst Professor Kwaku Azar.
“An Essex County jury awards $18M in his defamation suit against Kennedy Agyapong, who has requested a remittitur,” the post read.
Anas’ lawsuit in the United States came after Ghana’s Supreme Court dismissed a previous defamation case he had filed against Agyapong.
In his defense, Kennedy Agyapong argued that his remarks were made in the heat of a political dispute and were not intended to be interpreted as factual. However, the U.S. court ruled in Anas’s favor, declaring the statements defamatory and awarding him $18 million in damages.
