Defamation suit: High Court Judge Eric Baah denied me justice in Ghana, unjustly labelled me a criminal — Anas

Ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has compared his legal victory in a defamation suit against former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong in the US to a similar case he lost in Ghana.

According to him, High Court Justice Eric Baah, who presided over the case in Ghana on March 15, 2023, denied him justice and went further to label him as a criminal.

In a statement dated March 18, celebrating his recent victory, Anas noted that the proceedings in New Jersey demonstrated fairness and accountability as compared to Ghana's.

“Regrettably, the situation in Ghana was starkly different. In 2018, when I pursued a similar lawsuit there, justice eluded me. Despite Mr. Agyapong’s own admission of lacking evidence to support his calumnious claims, Justice Eric Baah of the Accra High Court not only denied me justice but also unjustly portrayed me—the civil plaintiff—as a criminal.

“In contrast, the proceedings in New Jersey demonstrated fairness and accountability. Presided over by the Honorable Judge Jeffrey B. Beacham, this outcome proves that the truth prevails and that accountability must extend to everyone, regardless of their position or influence,” he stated.

Anas has been awarded $18 million in damages following statements made by the former MP after the airing of the BBC documentary on corruption, Betraying the Game, on October 28, 2018.

The ruling, delivered by the Essex County Superior Court in the United States, specifically pertains to an interview conducted on 'The Daddy Fred Show', a program hosted by Ghanaian-American Frederick Asamoah, which aired on September 7, 2021.

During the broadcast, the outspoken politician made sweeping and inflammatory statements, accusing Anas of being a “criminal” and a “thief.”

Mr. Agyapong further alleged that Anas was involved in the murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale and the deaths of Chinese nationals in Ghana.

Anas, in his charges, argued that these unsubstantiated claims not only damaged his professional reputation but also placed him in physical danger, given his history of undercover investigations.