A Superior Court in Essex County, New Jersey, on May 12, 2025, reduced a defamation award against former Assin Central Member of Parliament, , from $18 million to $500, following a legal request by his lawyers.
The court's decision came after the trial judge acknowledged that while had indeed defamed investigative journalist , the original amount awarded by the jury was deemed excessive.
Although the financial penalty was significantly reduced, the court upheld the jury's finding of malicious defamation. "THIS MATTER having been brought before the Court upon application by Connell Foley LLP and Breslin & Breslin, P.A., attorneys for Defendant, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong ("Defendant"), for an Order molding the jury award; and the Court having considered the matter, the submissions of counsel, and the arguments of counsel, if any, and for good cause showing; IT IS on this 12 day of MAY 2025; ORDERED that Defendant's Motion is hereby GRANTED; and MOLDED TO $500. "ORDERED that the total jury award of $18,000,000.00 is hereby reduced to $500," part of the court papers said.
Meanwhile, in a statement released on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Anas, through his investigative outfit Tiger Eye PI, welcomed the revised judgment, emphasising that it reaffirmed the central issue of the case: that Agyapong maliciously defamed him. "Following the award, filed a motion for remittitur… Thus, inherent in his motion, admitted to having maliciously defamed me," it stated.
