Former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has revealed that a U.S. court has significantly reduced the damages he was ordered to pay in a defamation lawsuit brought against him by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The amount, originally set at $18 million by a jury, has now been slashed to just $500.
The reduction follows a motion for remittitur filed by Mr. Agyapong, which requested the trial judge to lower the damages, arguing that the initial amount was excessive. The judge granted the motion on, while upholding the jury’s finding that Agyapong had indeed defamed Anas.
The case stems from accusations and statements made by Mr. Agyapong against Anas and his investigative outfit, Tiger Eye PI. The jury found the statements to be false and made with malice, warranting the original multi-million-dollar award.
Reacting to the latest development, Tiger Eye PI issued a press release on May 11, stating that the essence of the legal victory lies not in the financial award, but in the court’s confirmation that Mr. Agyapong defamed Anas.
“Our victory is in the judgment and not the award. As Ghanaians may recall, a couple of weeks ago, an American jury found Kennedy Agyapong guilty of maliciously defaming my character,” the statement read.
Anas, through the release, reiterated that his pursuit of justice was not motivated by monetary compensation. He emphasized that none of Mr. Agyapong’s allegations were proven in court, even after the former MP was granted a full opportunity to substantiate his claims.
“This fight has not been about the money, but rather, a fight for truth and justice. I am happy that not a single allegation was proven against me in court,” Anas stated.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to investigative journalism and anti-corruption work, vowing to continue naming, shaming, and jailing wrongdoers.
