US Court Slashes Defamation Award Against Kennedy Agyapong to 500 Dollars

In a dramatic turn of events, a US court has ordered that the 18 million dollar fine awarded against Ghanaian politician Kennedy Agyapong be slashed to 500 dollars.

The lawsuit was originally filed by renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. He claimed in the lawsuit that the former Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, and Ghanaian media personality had levelled false and defamatory allegations against him on an episode of the Daddy Fred Show. The show is a popular online show watched by the Ghanaian Diaspora in the United States.

According to Anas, Kennedy Agyapong accused him of being a thief, a criminal, and also associated him with the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale, a fellow journalist who happened to be a part of Anas’ investigative team before he was tragically killed by an unknown assailant after the release of the Number 12 exposé.

The initial ruling demanded that Kennedy Agyapong pay an amount of 18 million dollars in damages. However, the trial judge, in a ruling delivered on Monday, May 12, 2025, upheld Kennedy Agyapong’s motion to reduce the amount awarded in damages. The award was significantly reduced to just 500 dollars. The judge maintained that the court indeed found Kennedy Agyapong’s statements defamatory; however, the amount sought in damages was “unreasonably excessive.”

Following this development, Anas expressed disappointment with the slash in damages but reiterated that the case was never about the financial gain. It was a move to clear his good name. He stated, “this fight has not been about the money, but rather, a fight for truth and justice.”

Anas pointed out that Kennedy Agyapong’s motion for a reduction signaled a sense of guilt. Anas also added that the court had not found him (Anas) guilty of any of the accusations levelled against him.

To Anas, he had been cleared and hence would carry on with his fight against corruption, committed to the charge of naming, shaming, and jailing criminals.