In a ruling delivered today, Wednesday, 15 March 2023, the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Eric Baah, held that the plaintiff [Anas Aremeyaw Anas] failed to prove that Ken Agyapong defamed him by airing the said documentary.
The court further held that Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, provided sufficient evidence to prove that the plaintiff used the findings of his work to solicit money from persons implicated in the evidence gathered by him. The High Court has told undercover investigative journalist; Anas Aremeyaw Anas that what he practices is not investigative journalism, but “investigative terrorism.”
The evidence, according to the court, also proved that those who were able to meet Anas’ financial demands, got exempted from videos that were shown to the public.
The court concluded that what Anas is engaged in is not investigative journalism and that Kennedy Ohene Agyapong was justified to call 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 Baah ruled. According to the judge, Justice Eric Baah is of view that the documentary exposes shady deals that Anas and his associates were involved in and as such, did not have enough evidence.
The Accra High Court therefore, dismissed the 25 million defamation suit against member of Parliament for Assin Central; Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, brought by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Case Background
The Assin Central Member of Parliament (MP) had been facing a GHC 25 million suit from Anas, over some comments he (MP) had allegedly made against the investigative journalist in public, after airing his investigative piece #Number 12, which exposed some rots in Ghana Football.
Anas in 2018, dragged the lawmaker to court for alleged defamation after the Member of Parliament publicly telecasted the documentary titled “Who Watches the Watchman”, to unveil alleged shady deals involving the journalist and his work. He said the MP had been publishing materials, in his bid to discredit him after releasing an explosive piece on the rot in Ghana football.
Displeased with the MP’s actions, Anas, through his lawyer, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, sued Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong for the award of general damages for defamation in the defendant’s publications.
A journalist, Mr. Listowell Bukarson, was granted the lawful attorney, to stand in for Anas. The publication complained of, was posted on May 29, 2018,,on a live programme in Twi on Adom TV, where the Member of Parliament, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, categorically stated that Anas was a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist and evil.
According to the statement of claim, the defendant, in a similar manner, published defamatory words on May 31, 2018, via Oman FM, a private radio station owned by the defendant.
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.
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