The $18 million (£13.6 million) granted to Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a defamation case has been reduced to $500 by a US court.
A jury determined that former Ghanaian MP Kennedy Agyapong had defamed Anas by calling him a “criminal” and that he was responsible for the murder of a fellow journalist. As a result, he was compelled to pay the enormous sum.
A judge in a New Jersey court declared that $18 million was “disproportionate and legally unsustainable” after Agyapong’s legal team asked for the sum to be lowered.
The MP took to twitter to announce the verdict of the court to his followers.
Formerly, Hon Ken Agyapong has issued a press statement expressing his joy and reiterating his resolve to fight against what he has termed unfair treatment.
The Politician also reaffirmed his commitment to uphold the values of integrity, bold leadership and dedicated service to the Ghanaian people, vowing never to relent in his efforts to defend truth and accountability in public life.
