Renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has issued a strong warning to politicians and the media following his decisive legal victory in the Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey.
A jury found former Ghanaian Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong liable for defamation and awarded Anas $18 million in damages.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anas emphasized the significance of the ruling, declaring it a powerful message to Ghanaian politicians that the media cannot be taken for granted.
“I stand before you today with a profound sense of vindication and determination,” Anas wrote. “Yesterday, in the Essex County Superior Court in New Jersey, an eight-member jury delivered a unanimous verdict finding Kennedy Agyapong—former member of the Ghanaian Parliament—liable for defamation and awarding damages of 18 million U.S. dollars. These damages arise from statements he made following the airing of the BBC documentary on corruption, Betraying the Game, on October 28, 2018.”
Describing the ruling as more than just a personal win, Anas stated, “This decision is not merely a legal triumph—it is a resounding affirmation that falsehood and character assassination have no place in our society. It reinforces our commitment to building a robust democracy that serves all ordinary Ghanaians.”
Anas underscored the challenges of proving defamation in the U.S., where the legal threshold is high and requires clear and convincing evidence of malice. “That the jury ruled unanimously in my favor underscores that Mr. Agyapong acted both maliciously and recklessly in his attacks against me.”
However, he lamented that the situation in Ghana was starkly different. “In 2018, when I pursued a similar lawsuit there, justice eluded me. Despite Mr. Agyapong’s own admission of lacking evidence to support his calumnious claims, Justice Eric Baah of the Accra High Court not only denied me justice but also unjustly portrayed me—the civil plaintiff—as a criminal. This ruling was later condemned by Supreme Court Justice Kulendi, who described it as a ‘violent abuse of judicial authority.’ Such outcomes are a stark reminder of the systemic flaws within our Ghanaian judicial system—flaws that demand urgent reform.”
Anas used the moment to remind politicians that undermining the media comes at a cost. “Today’s outcome sends a powerful message, particularly to Ghanaian politicians: you cannot take the media for granted. The press is indispensable in scrutinizing power and holding leaders accountable, and any attempt to undermine this essential function will be met with resolute resistance.”
He extended his gratitude to his legal team—Andrew Deheer, Esq., Arthur Wemegah, Esq., Evans Selasi Adika, Esq., and Odei Krow, Esq.—as well as his supporters and all those who stood by him in his pursuit of justice.