INVESTIGATIVE journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas says he remains optimistic about receiving the $18 million in damages awarded to him by a US court after a defamation case against Ghanaian ex-MP Kennedy Agyapong. But more important than the money, he says, is the signal the ruling sends to journalists across Africa.
The ruling was handed down earlier this month by a New Jersey jury, which found that Agyapong had defamed Anas by calling him a ‘criminal’ and suggesting he was involved in the murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale. The comments were made during an appearance on the Daddy Fred Show podcast, also known as The Fred Show On Demand, a morning radio show that’s available on-demand and is heard live weekdays 6-10am on 103.5 KISS FM in Chicago
Anas originally sued Agyapong in Ghana but lost the case. He then pursued legal action in the United States, where the politician owns property.
‘The message is bigger than the money’
‘The bigger impact for me is not the money,’ Anas told the BBC in a separate interview. ‘It’s the fact that young journalists are encouraged to hold the powerful to account, no matter how big a politician may be.’
The eight-member jury in Essex County Superior Court ruled unanimously in Anas’ favour, awarding $18 million, including $8 million in punitive damages.
Anas said his legal team did extensive due diligence on Agyapong’s US-based assets before filing the suit, which gives him confidence that the compensation will eventually be paid. ‘I cannot be 100 percent certain, but my legal team has a plan,’ he noted.
Honouring a fallen colleague
The case had deeply personal undertones. In 2019, Anas’ investigative partner Ahmed Suale was gunned down in Accra. While one arrest has been made, Anas believes there are still others responsible.
‘I still visit the place where Ahmed was killed… I go to his grave to have quiet time,’ Anas said. ‘He once told me he’d continue my work if I died. I never thought I’d be the one left to carry his legacy.’
The court found that Agyapong’s remarks went beyond criticism and ventured into incitement, falsely linking Anas to Suale’s murder.
A landmark for press freedom
Anas didn’t hold back in his criticism of Ghana’s judiciary, telling the BBC that ‘many’ in the (Ghana) legal system ‘tilt the scale of justice in favour of the wrong one’, prompting his decision to seek redress abroad.
Despite the ruling taking place in the US, Anas believes it sends a global message: African journalists can challenge the powerful and win.
‘We also have the capacity to stand toe-to-toe with the rich and powerful,’ he said. ‘While we are patient and honest, our day will definitely come.’
