Kennedy Agyapong
Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has sued Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapong, for defamation, claiming GH?25 million in damages.
A writ of summons filed at an Accra High Court averred that the MP portrayed Anas as “an evil and dishonest person who suffers from mental derangement,” on some radio and television stations.
It stated Mr Agyapong’s comments have egregiously damaged Anas’ reputation as a lawyer and internationally acclaimed investigative journalist.
Anas is not likely to be in court during proceedings, as he has given the power of attorney to one Listowell Yesu Bukarson, former Ashanti regional chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to testify on his behalf.
Statement of claims
Kennedy Agyapong reportedly made comments after Anas announced plans to show his latest investigative piece, No. 12.
The legislator alleged that Anas was corrupt and does not have the moral authority to label others as corrupt.
Anas, in the statement of claims, averred that Mr Agyapong, on an Accra-based TV station, Adom TV on May 29, 2018, called him a blackmailer, extortionist and evil.
“I am going to justify my claims. I will justify today and dare him to come out and I will bring all the pictures.
“I will prove to the whole Ghana that the boy is also corrupt and evil for the things he has done – bringing institutions that have been built over the years down for him to be rich. I am going to show all the pictures,” Mr Agyapong alleged on the TV programme.
The suit said that Mr. Agyapong repeated the similar defamatory statements about Anas on May 31, 2018 during a radio programme on Oman FM.
“I did not know him personally until I conducted the investigations, and I received his pictures and the things he does in Dubai. With what I know now, I think Anas is not a truthful person to investigate anybody in this country.
“He says he is a crusader of what? Integrity? He should tell us when he goes to grab Ga lands, then follows up because judges fear him, then he is fighting it for old women when he is done then he takes half…he is a land guard,” Mr Agyapong reportedly said.
It said that “Mr Agyapong’s comments portray the plaintiff as a self-confessed criminal who engages in murder, stealing, defrauding by false pretenses, corruption, corruption of public officials, extortion, assault, abetment of assault, threat of harm and threat of death, tax evasion, customs duty evasion, forgery, impersonation as a lawyer, bribery, land grabbing and interference with administration of justice.”
JB’s Murder
The suit also said Mr Agyapong alleged that the plaintiff was in an amorous relationship with the widow of the late JB Danquah-Adu.
“The plaintiff (Anas) avers that the words complained of are utterly false, products of the defendant’s (Agyapong) imagination and were mischievously calculated by the defendant to disparage the plaintiff and to create disaffection for him and to bring him into odium in the eyes of right thinking members of the republic and the global community.
Lynching
The writ also claimed that Mr. Agyapong called for the lynching of Anas on media platforms.
“The defendant signified his commitment to his call for the lynching of the plaintiff by his gesture of making a choking sound and dragging his finger across his throat. The defendant incited the general public to physically attack and assault the plaintiff,” it averred.
It also said Mr Agyapong made the comments to attract listeners and viewers of Oman FM and Net2 TV which belong to him.
Claims
Anas is claiming aggravated damages to the tune of GH?25 million arising from libel as a result of the comments, general damages for libel and costs, including lawyer’s fees.
By Gibril Abdul Razak