|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Member of Parliament for Akim Oda, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has called for a review of the Anas Principle following the court judgment in the case of Anas versus Kennedy Agyapong.
Acquah acknowledged that the principle had been helpful in exposing corrupt practices in some sectors, including the judiciary. However, he cautioned against actions that could reduce the confidence of investigative journalists, citing the scrutiny that the judgment had exposed Anas Aremeyaw Anas to.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas disagrees with judgment in his case against Ken Agyapong
In response to the judgment by Justice Eric Baah, who presided over his case against Assin Central Lawmaker, Anas Aremeyaw Anas has said that the judge made a mistake in throwing out the case. Anas accused Justice Baah of overreaching and making criminal pronouncements about him as if he was standing a criminal trial.
He also disagreed with the judge on both the law and facts of the case. Anas is filing an appeal because there was no evidence provided to support the claims made by the judge.
Anas described his work as evidence-based and committed to truth and justice, stating that he had always prevailed against all forces that had worked to pull him down.
Anas had sued the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker in 2018 for allegedly defaming him and had prayed to the court to award GH¢25 million against Mr Agyapong to compensate him for the defamatory material published against him by the MP.
However, the court held that Anas had failed to prove that Ken Agyapong defamed him by airing the documentary – “Who watches the watchman” – but rather, the documentary exposed shady deals that Anas and his associates were involved in.
The judge concluded that what Anas is engaged in is not investigative journalism but rather “investigative terrorism,” and that Agyapong was justified in calling Anas “a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist, and evil.”
source:locotvgh.com