How Ghana investigative journalist win $18m for US afta e sue ex-member of parliament

One US court don award Ghanaian investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas $18m (£14m) in damages afta one jury say e dey defamed by former Ghanaian member of parliament, Kennedy Agyapong.

Di case bin start from comments wey Agyapong make about Anas afta im BBC investigation for 2018 wey expose football corruption for Ghana and elsewhere.

Di court bin hear say Agyapong, among oda accusations bin make one podcast, wia e call di reporter a "criminal" and allege say na im dey behind di murder of fellow journalist Ahmed Suale.

Anas bin lost similar legal action for Ghana seven years ago. But afta dem release di podcast episode for 2021 Anas bin go court for di US state of New Jersey wia Agyapong get property.

Di politician bin dey New Jersey wen e dey interviewed for di Daddy Fred Show podcast, according to court papers wey im lawyers file.

Court bin confam di first verdict last week Tuesday. Di $18m in damages na di result of one unanimous decision by one eight-member jury for Essex County Superior Court for New Jersey, wey find Agyapong liable of defamation.

Di figure include $8m in punitive damages.

"Justice don prevail. Dis victory no be just for me, but for truth, press freedom, and evri journalist wey risk evritin to expose corruption and wrongdoing," Anas tok for response.

"No amount of intimidation or falsehood go silence di pursuit of accountability even for di face of assassination. Our work continue, undeterred and unafraid."

Di journalist, wey bin don win multiple international awards for im reporting, don vow to continue to fight corruption and hold wrongdoers accountable.

Agyapong lawyers unsuccessfully argue say di journalist no suppose bring di case to di US in di first place. Dem also tok say di comments wey di former MP bin make on di podcast na di kain tins wey oda courts don describe as hyperbole and opinion and no dey subject to defamation case.

Meanwhile, police for Ghana don arrest one suspect in connection wit di murder of Anas colleague, Ahmed Hussein Suale, wey bin dey killed for 2019.

Di suspect bin allegedly share pictures of di undercover journalist wit popular Ghanaian politician bifor im death.

Di death of Ahmed also dey linked to one football corruption exposé.

Di investigation bin try expose corruption for African football and dey reported by BBC Africa Eye.