On March 18, 2025, an Essex County Superior Court jury in New Jersey reportedly awarded Anas $18 million in damages after finding Agyapong liable for defamation in a suit by Anas Aremeyaw Anas
The award includes $8 million in punitive damages, signaling the court’s intent to punish and deter such conduct.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas vs Kennedy Agyapong
Immediate Implications for Kennedy Agyapong
Financial Burden: If enforced, $18 million is a hefty sum, even for someone of Kennedy Agyapong’s reputed wealth and Public records show he owns at least three properties in New Jersey worth over $1.8 million, which Anas’s legal team could target via liens or foreclosure.
However, this covers only a fraction of the judgment, and his Ghana-based assets outside n the U.S. jurisdiction means Anas can only pursue enforcement in Ghana—a complex, uncertain process many opine under Ghanaian law.
Legal Options
Kennedy Agyapong’s team has already moved for a mistrial and sought to reduce the damages, arguing the award is excessive. As of now, the case isn’t fully concluded—according to some sources, including his Ghanaian lawyer Kwaku Amoh Darteh, who claim no final judgment has been entered pending the judge’s ruling on this motion (due within 30 days from March 19).
If the mistrial fails, he could appeal, potentially dragging this out for months or years. Non-payment is an option, but it risks asset seizure if he enters the U.S., he said.
Kennedy Agyapon’s Reputation: In Ghana, where Agyapong’s brash persona has long fueled his political and media influence, many believe this loss could dent his credibility, especially after he lost a similar defamation case to Anas in Ghana in 2023 only to see it overturned but viral video of Kennedy Agyapong being received by fans contradict this claim as many showed up at the airport to receive him, and this is what he had to say at the airport
Broader Impact for Kennedy Agyapong
U.S. Presence: Agyapong can still travel to the U.S.—civil judgments don’t bar entry—but any visit risks asset grabs if he doesn’t settle.
This could limit his business dealings there, where he’s tied to real estate and possibly other ventures from his Fordham University days.
Anas vs Kennedy Agyapong – The Ghanaian Context
The ruling contrasts sharply with Ghana’s judicial outcomes, where Anas lost to Agyapong in 2023, with the court labeling his work “investigative terrorism.”
A Supreme Court Justice later called that ruling a “violent abuse of judicial authority,” but it highlights systemic differences Anas leveraged by going to the U.S.
For Kennedy Agyapong, it’s a warning that his rhetoric faces sterner tests abroad.
Press Freedom Signal according to Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Anas frames this as a win for journalists, and the punitive damages back that up. For Agyapong, it’s a costly lesson that unchecked attacks on media figures can backfire where legal systems prioritize evidence over influence.
The exact status as of today—remains murky. Conflicting reports of some credilble media houses confirming the verdict, while others cited including Kennedy Agyapong’s lawyer saying it’s not final) suggesting the $18 million isn’t yet locked in.
If the mistrial succeeds or damages are slashed, the impact shrinks. If not, Agyapong’s next move—pay, appeal, or evade—will shape the fallout.
