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Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has lost his GHS25 million defamatory suit against Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong.
Anas in 2018 dragged the lawmaker to court for alleged defamation after the MP had publicly telecast a documentary titled “Who Watches the Watchman” to unveil alleged shady deals involving the journalist and his work.
Anas was seeking GHS25million in damages and any other the court deemed fit.
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 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 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 but rather investigative terrorism and that 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.
