Private legal practitioner and author Ben Tachie Antiedu has reacted to the decision by the Superior Court of New Jersey to award investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18 million in damages in a defamation lawsuit against former Member of Parliament Kennedy Agyapong and Frederick Asamoah, a social media commentator.
The lawyer believes the outcome of the case is not surprising for him since it has affirmed an opinion he had expressed in 2023 after a Ghanaian court dismissed a similar issue brought by the journalist.
It would be recalled that a case brought against the former MP in a Ghanaian court was dismissed on grounds that it had no merit and even went further to describe Anas’s work as pure blackmail and terrorism.
However, in a US court and a jury decision, the journalist was awarded $18 million in damages.
The damages were awarded by the court following alleged defamatory statements made by the defendants during a 2021 interview broadcast on social media.
Mr Antiedu reacting indicated that the outcome from the US court vindicates Anas’ position that he was defamed.
‘’The outcome is not surprising. It is a vindication that shows that Anas was defamed. This was a matter determined by a jury. In the US they use the jury system in determining both criminal and civil cases compared to Ghana, where we only use the jury for criminal cases. For them, even in civil matters, they make use of a jury where ordinary peers of yours will join the judge under guidance to look at the matters of fact for the court to direct them on the law. ‘So the US court outcomes were expected,’ he stated.
He reiterated, as he had stated in 2023, that the outcome of the Ghanaian court case undermined Anas’ work over the years.
He stated that as someone who had worked with the BBC and other reputable companies, it was critical for him to take steps to repair the damage, and the US court case has provided some relief.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
