Renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas faced a significant setback on Wednesday as the Accra High Court ruled against him in a defamation case against Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong.
Anas had sought damages of GH¢25 million, but the court deemed the suit meritless. Justice Eric Baah, who sat on the case as a High Court judge with additional responsibilities as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, upheld Agyapong’s claims that Anas was an extortionist and blackmailer.
The judge stated that such actions were not investigative journalism, but “investigative terrorism” exercised through “indirect political power under the cloak of journalism.” Although some of Agyapong’s statements were potentially defamatory, none were proven to have actually defamed Anas, and the court dismissed Anas’ claims.
“That is not investigative journalism. It is investigative terrorism. It is [an] exercise of indirect political power under the cloak of journalism,”
Meanwhile Anas Aremeyaw has released a statement saying the court ruling was an unfortunate travesty of justice and very innimical to the administration of justice and fairness
Read full statement here