The High Court in Accra on March 15, 2023, dismissed the defamation suit worth GH¢25 million against Assin Central lawmaker Kennedy Agyapong filed by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and in response, South Dayi Member of Parliament, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, expressed concerns about the future of Anas.
The suit was filed in 2018 after Anas accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker of defaming him by airing the documentary titled “Who watches the watchman”.
However, Justice Eric Baah held that Anas failed to prove his claim and rather exposed shady deals that he and his associates were involved in.
The court concluded that the work of Anas was not investigative journalism, but rather “investigative terrorism” and that Agyapong was justified in calling him “a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist, and evil”.
Anas disagreed with the judge's ruling and accused him of delving into the arena of criminal prosecution despite it being a civil case.
He stated that he and his team would file an appeal.
Reacting to the dismissal of the case, Mr Dafeamekpor said “For a judge to establish that you are an extortionist in a judgment is a serious thing. Extortion is one of the conducts that we criminalize in this country… it is such a serious offence.
So I am wondering what will happen in this matter when a judge says ‘I have judiciary established that you are an extortionist'.”