Kwasi Kwarteng, spokesperson for former Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong, has clarified that the $500 defamation award against his client is not a reduction of a previously finalized $18 million judgment, contrary to widespread reports.
“The $500 award we are witnessing today is not an addition or a reduction of any $18 million judgment. There was no $18 million judgment to begin with, so what we are seeing is not a reduction of any prior judgment,” he clarified.
“The $500 award stems from a motion filed by Honourable Kennedy Agyapong’s lawyer to challenge the jury award. While there was a jury award, it had not yet been adopted by the court, so it cannot be considered a formal judgment,” Kwarteng emphasized. “They filed the motion to revise the judgment — for simplicity’s sake, you could call it a review. This is not a reduction of an earlier judgment.”
His comments followed a decision by the Superior Court in Essex County, New Jersey, which revised the damages in a defamation case brought by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. This suit, initiated on May 17, 2022, was in response to remarks made by Agyapong on *The Daddy Fred Show*, in which he accused Anas of being a criminal and implicated him in the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale.
A few weeks ago, a U.S. jury found Agyapong liable for defamation and initially awarded Anas $18 million in damages. However, Agyapong’s legal team filed a motion for remittitur, arguing that the award was excessive. The trial judge upheld the defamation ruling but reduced the damages to $500, describing the original amount as unreasonably high.
Mr Kwarteng’s remarks aim to correct the public misunderstanding, reiterating that no final $18 million judgment had ever been issued before the judge ruled on the motion.
Meanwhile, Anas Aremeyaw Anas expressed disappointment with the reduced award, emphasizing that his goal was never about financial gain but rather to defend his reputation.
