Lawyer For Anas Details How Kennedy Agyapong Wanted To Pay $10k To Settle The Case, Video Trends
- One of the lawyers for Anas Aremeyaw Anas has gone public on what transpired during the build-up to the trial proceedings
- Speaking in an interview he disclosed that Kennedy Agyapong's camp offered to pay $10,000 at the settlement conference
- He said Anas, although against the move to settle was willing to reduce his demands
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Selasi Evans Adika, one of the lawyers for ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has shared details on the verdict in the US lawsuit against Kennedy Agyapong.
Source: Facebook
In a video sighted by YEN.com.gh on Facebook, Selasi Evans Adika who was speaking in an interview after the ruling, disclosed that the parties involved in the lawsuit first went to the settlement conference, a meeting between parties hoping to seek a resolution to the issue.
He explained that although Anas was against the move, he was willing to cut down on his financial demands during the settlement conference meeting.
Selassie however said they were taken aback to learn that Kennedy Agyapong on his part was willing to pay $10,000 equivalent to GH¢150,000 to ensure the case did not proceed to the trial level.
He said it was at that point the arbitrator ruled the matter be heard in court to enable both parties argue their case.
"Procedurally we cannot go to trial without actually going through the settlement conference. When we went there despite Anas' reservations we still almost cut our demand down to a little over half, but to our surprise when our father (Kennedy Agyapong) came he said he would pay $10,000 to end the case. That is where the arbitrator basically said go and take your gamble in the courtroom. And so that is how we ended up going to trial."
Demands from Anas
A court document sighted by YEN.com.gh indicates that Anas Aremeyaw, in his suit, sought several demands in his defamation case against Kennedy Agyapong.
First, he requested the court to grant him an award of presumed damages amounting to five million US dollars.
He also sought other reliefs, including an award of special damages amounting to ten million US dollars, an award of actual damages amounting to five million US dollars, and an award of punitive damages amounting to ten million US dollars.
Anas, in his suit, also prayed to the court to restrain Kennedy Agyapong from making defamatory remarks about him.
However, the jury granted him $18,000,000 in damages, comprising $5 million in presumed damages, $5 million in actual damages, and $8 million in punitive damages.
Anas' US suit against Kennedy Agyapong
Anas filed a suit in 2022 in New Jersey against the former Assin Central MP for making defamatory comments about him.
This happened after the firebrand politician in a 2021 interview on The Daddy Fred Show, an online programme made certain comments portraying Anas as a thief and criminal.
He remarked that Anas was responsible for the murder of fellow investigative journalist Ahmed Suale and the deaths of multiple Chinese nationals in Ghana.
Anas who was not too pleased with the comments sought redress arguing the accusations severely injured his reputation.
In his defence, Agyapong claimed that his remarks were made during a political dispute and were not meant to be taken literally.
Source: Instagram
Anas speaks on winning Kennedy Agyapong lawsuit
Following the verdict, Anas Aremeyaw Anas issued a statement detailing what transpired in court.
He indicated the suit stemmed from comments Kennedy Agyapong made about him during the airing of his BBC documentary Betraying The Game which indicted former Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi in 2018.
Anas lamented how a similar suit in Ghana was dismissed by an Accra High Court by its presiding judge, Justice Eric Baah
Watch the video below:
Anas wears prosthetics to court
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Anas Aremeyaw Anas showed up in court, without covering his face.
Pictures and videos from a US Court showed the purported identity of Anas Aremeyaw Anas who appeared to be in a calm and composed mood.
He had braided hair, wearing medicated glasses, and was dressed casually in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers.
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Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Philip Boateng Kessie (Head of Human Interest Desk) Philip Boateng Kessie started writing for YEN.com.gh in 2022 and is the Head of the Human Interest desk. He has over six years of experience in journalism and graduated from the University of Cape Coast in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. Philip previously served as a reporter for Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and as a content writer for Scooper News. He has a certificate in Google News Initiative News Lab courses in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. Email: philip.kessie@yen.com.gh.
Samuel Gitonga (Copy editor) Samuel Gitonga is a Copy Editor at YEN.com.gh. He holds a Bachelor of Broadcast Journalism Degree from the Multimedia University of Kenya. He has over 7 years’ experience in the digital journalism industry. He started out his career at the Kenya News Agency and proceeded to work for several reputable media outlets in Nairobi.
