A U.S. court has reduced the $18 million defamation damages initially awarded to Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a case against former MP Kennedy Agyapong, cutting the figure down to just $500.
The Superior Court of New Jersey had earlier found Agyapong and Frederick Asamoah liable for defamation over statements made during a 2021 social media broadcast, awarding the large sum as compensation.
However, in a press release issued by Anas’ media outfit, Tigereye PI, on Monday, May 12, it was confirmed that while the jury’s verdict remains in place, the trial judge approved a motion for remittitur, a legal reduction of damages.
“The verdict still stands,” the statement emphasized, clarifying that the court upheld the finding of defamation despite the steep drop in the financial penalty.
The ruling marks a symbolic win for Anas, though it delivers a minimal monetary outcome after years of legal proceedings.
