On Friday, the jury returned a verdict and awarded $18m damages against Hon Ken Agyepong. This was based on instructions of the trial judge to award actual and compensatory damages if they found Hon Ken Agyepong guilty of defamation.
According to reports, a US court has awarded investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18 million in a defamation lawsuit against former Ghanaian MP Kennedy Agyapong over allegations made during a 2021 interview.
Being dissatisfied, Hon Ken’s lawyers demanded a nullification of the trial on grounds there was a mistrial. The judge asked them to hold on because the trial was not yet concluded. The case was adjourned to Tuesday for the jury to consider the award of punitive damages only.
On Tuesday, the jury re-convened to consider the award of punitive damages only.
During deliberation of the jury on Tuesday, the jury sent a question to the judge, which was read in open court. The jury stated that during the Friday consideration, they had awarded $5m for actual damages $5m for compensatory damages and $8m for punitive damages, which was against instructions and procedure of the court.
At this time, Lawyers for Hon Ken Agyepong moved for a mistrial. The judge realised the error committed by the jury and accordingly discharged them.
He has 30 days to rule on the mistrial. At the moment there’s no verdict because the jury verdict was not entered as a decision of the court.
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