A U.S. court has drastically reduced the $18 million in defamation damages initially awarded against Ghanaian politician and former Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong, lowering the amount to just $500.
The Superior Court of New Jersey had previously granted investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18 million in damages in a defamation suit he filed against Agyapong and Frederick Asamoah, a social media commentator.
The case stemmed from allegedly defamatory remarks made during a 2021 interview that was broadcast online.
In a press release issued on Monday, May 12, Anas’ investigative organization, Tiger Eye PI, confirmed that although the jury’s verdict in favor of Anas still stands, the trial judge approved a motion for remittitur—a legal mechanism to reduce excessive damages. As a result, the damages were slashed to $500.
Despite the sharp reduction in the monetary award, the plaintiff maintains that the court’s decision still affirms the central finding of defamation.
