Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who won an $18 million defamation lawsuit against Ghanaian PM Kennedy Agyapong, has expressed on March 27 that while the monetary reward is significant, the true value of his victory lies in the message it sends to the broader journalistic community.
Anas took legal action after Agyapong called him a “criminal” on a podcast, following Anas’ exposé on football corruption. Despite initially losing the case in Ghana, Anas took the matter to the United States, where Agyapong owns property, and emerged victorious, with an Essex County Superior Court jury ruling in his favour earlier this month.
In an interview with the BBC, Anas shared that his primary motivation was not the financial compensation but the encouragement his victory provides to young journalists. “The bigger impact for me is not the money but the fact that young journalists are encouraged to hold the powerful to account,” he stated. The defamation case stemmed from Agyapong’s podcast accusations, which also linked Anas to the murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale, a crime Anas continues to grieve. He expressed his emotional connection to Suale’s memory, noting that despite the recent arrest of a suspect, he believes others are still at large.
Anas also criticized Ghana’s legal system, claiming that many in the judiciary are inclined to favour the wrongdoers. Despite winning the case in the US, Anas emphasized that the case serves as a warning to the wealthy and influential, asserting that African journalists are capable of standing firm in their pursuit of justice. With Agyapong now ordered to pay $18 million in damages, Anas expressed confidence in the legal team’s ability to collect the funds, which will serve as a victory not only for him but for journalists across Africa, reinforcing their ability to hold the powerful accountable.