Former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has expressed satisfaction with the dismissal of a GHC25 million defamatory suit against MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
The suit was filed by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in 2018, alleging that Mr Agyapong had defamed him. Anas sought aggravated damages of GHC25 million, claiming that Mr Agyapong had published defamatory material against him.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday (15 March 2023), Justice Eric Baah held that Anas had failed to prove that Mr Agyapong had defamed him by airing the documentary ‘Who Watches the Watchman?’.
On the contrary, the judge ruled that the documentary had exposed corrupt practices that Anas and his associates were involved in. The court further held that Agyapong had provided sufficient evidence to prove that Anas had used his findings to solicit money from individuals implicated in the evidence he had gathered.
“From the above, I hold that the plaintiff is a blackmailer who uses blackmail to extort money from his opponents and people he does not like. What the plaintiff is doing is not investigative journalism but investigative terrorism,” the judge said, awarding GH¢50,000 against Anas.
Kennedy Agyapong dedicated his victory to Nyantakyi, who lost all his positions, including CAF Vice President, following Anas’ controversial football documentary in 2018.
“We have to be bold to speak the truth. Anas goes ahead to [allegedly] defame people and gets away,” Agyapong said, as quoted by TV3. “It is only in this country that a journalist covers his face to go and give witness while Supreme Court judges are sitting there… Anas has to come out and apologize. All I am saying is the victory is for Kwasi Nyantakyi.”
Nyantakyi, who was in court, expressed his joy with the ruling, saying to Oman FM, “The high court’s decision testifies to the truth that Anas Aremeyaw Anas is not honest but as described by the court, he is a blackmailer and an extortionist.” He also added that “The judge also described his job as an investigative terrorist instead of investigative journalist. He has been totally disgraced. He once portrayed himself as an angel but today I’m not even sure he is at the devil’s level yet.”
Nyantakyi had his lifetime football ban reduced to 15 years in 2020.
