Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has said that the judgment that he got against investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in the defamation case ought not be seen as a victory for him.
He says it is a victory for professional journalism and also every one of the people who have experienced Anas' style of investigative journalism.
In a statement, Mr Agyapong said "It is critical that as we digest the judgment, we center around the genuine quintessence and not view it as a triumph for Ken.
"It is without a doubt a victory for professional journalism as well as people and states across Africa who have experienced treacherously this style of investigative journalism."
The Accra High Court on Wednesday, March 15 dismissed the GH¢25 million defamation suit against Kennedy Ohene Agyapong brought by investigative journalism Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The judge, Justice Eric Baah, held that Anas Aremeyaw Anas failed to prove that Ken Agyapong defamed him via broadcasting the narrative - "Who watches the watchman" - yet rather, the narrative uncovered obscure arrangements that Anas and his partners were associated with.
This was after Anas, in 2018, sued the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker for allegedly defaming him.
Anas implored the court to award GH¢25 million against Mr Agyapong to compensate him for the defamatory material published against him by the MP.
The court presumed that what Anas is engaged in isn't investigative journalism yet rather "investigative terrorism" and that Agyapong was justified to call Anas "a blackmailer, corrupt, an extortionist, and evil".
"I track down the cases by the offended party [Anas Aremeyaw Anas) meritless and they are thusly dismissed," Justice Baah ruled.
Be that as it may, Anas said he disagreed with the judge both on law and on current realities of the case.
He accused Justice Baah for digging into the arena of criminal prosecution against him regardless of the matter being a civil case.
"My team and I and the lawyers have carefully studied on the judgment conveyed by the court and we are consistent that the judge made an excess and slipped into the arena and made criminal pronouncements about me as if I was standing a criminal preliminary.
"He additionally justified the MP accusing me for the murder of JB Danquah, murder of 20 Chinese nationals. We are documenting an appeal since there was no proof given," Anas said in a video recording answering the judgment."
He added "… I disagreed with the judge ruling both on law and current realities. at the point when I began this work a long time back, I never expected that it would be a simple street yet it is the proof in my work and the obligation to truth and equity that has consistently driven and beaten every one of the powers that have attempted to pull us down"