A U.S. court has drastically reduced a landmark $18 million defamation award granted to renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, slashing the figure to just $500; an outcome now stirring both legal and emotional reactions from across the journalism world.
The original award came after a New Jersey jury in March unanimously found that former Ghanaian parliamentarian Kennedy Agyapong had defamed Anas by calling him a “criminal” and suggesting he was linked to the 2019 murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale, Anas’ colleague at the investigative outfit Tiger Eye P.I.
But in a surprising post-verdict development, a judge deemed the $18 million sum “legally unsustainable” and “disproportionate,” a decision that followed a request by Agyapong’s legal team for a reduction. The former MP, who owns property in New Jersey and was physically in the U.S. when he made the comments during an appearance on the Daddy Fred Show podcast, posted the news on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his relief at the outcome.
Anas, however, is not letting the decision stand without challenge. “This was never about money,” he said in a brief statement, “but I will appeal because truth deserves more than a symbolic victory.” He emphasized that the core of his legal battle has always been to defend the integrity of investigative journalism and to push back against what he calls the “growing culture of impunity.”
Anas—instantly recognizable for his trademark beaded mask—rose to prominence for his undercover investigations into corruption in Ghana and beyond. His work has earned him both praise and criticism, and in 2018, his explosive exposé on African football corruption drew international headlines. It was in the aftermath of that investigation that Agyapong launched his personal attacks, accusing Anas of being complicit in wrongdoing and even associating him with Suale’s murder—a claim that sparked outrage and widespread condemnation.
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Though Anas lost an earlier defamation case in Ghana—where a judge dismissed his work as “investigative terrorism”—he pursued a new legal path in the United States, citing jurisdiction due to Agyapong’s podcast recording being made while on American soil.
Despite the sharp reduction in damages, many observers see the original jury verdict as a significant moral win. “This is a message to all journalists on the continent,” Anas told the BBC after the March verdict. “You must be tough. You must be ready to take the blows and keep standing. This work is dangerous, but it’s necessary.”
Following the court’s decision to lower the monetary award, Agyapong issued a statement reaffirming his commitment to “truth and accountability in public life,” and vowing to uphold the values of integrity even as critics argue his comments had crossed a dangerous line.
For Anas, the fight is not over. Beyond the courtroom, he says the mission remains unchanged: to keep exposing corruption, to honor the memory of fallen colleagues like Ahmed Suale, and to protect journalism as a pillar of public trust.
In the end, it seems this story isn’t just about dollars, it’s about dignity, and a battle to defend the truth in a world that doesn’t always reward it.
