A member of the Western Region communications team of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Baron Nyarko has jeered at investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas for suing two media organizations and some staff for “subjecting his reputation to public ridicule”.
He was expecting Mr. Aremeyaw Anas to be the last person to consider such legal action when “all his work is about subjecting the hard earned reputation of people to public ridicule”.
“And the effect of this ridicule is not only felt in Ghana but worldwide. Just look at Kwesi Nyantakyi, where he got to in life and what has happened to him after the number 12”, he added.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas has sued Multimedia and Despite Group of Companies and some staff for tarnishing his image through their utterances on air.
“The plaintiff’s reputation, especially as a lawyer and globally acclaimed investigative journalist, has egregiously damaged and has suffered debilitating distress and embarrassment” the writ reads in part.
But Mr. Nyarko described the suit as laughable saying “Anas and his Tiger Eye PI have over the years through their investigative work exposed certain members of society to intense public ridicule and have been let off the hook because they have been able to create the impression they are helping rid the country of corruption”.
“I wonder if Anas and his Tiger Eye PI will have the peace of mind if all those captured in their numerous exposes take them to court. In fact I am pleading with all the people who have been captured by Anas to also take him to court”, he said.
In an interview on Takoradi-based radio station Connect FM, monitored by Ghanaweb, Mr. Nyarko insisted that “Anas knows the effect his work will have on the reputation of the persons captured yet, without any consideration, will screen it. If he really means good why does he not send the recordings to the relevant investigative bodies for the necessary action to be taken but will decide to trial the people in the public court of opinion?”
He claimed the recent work by Anas on galamsey appears to be target work meant to “destroy the image of Executive Secretary to the Inter – Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, Charles Bissue and other people working to solve the illegal mining scourge”.
“It is common knowledge that before Anas premiers his work, there is always a week or two promo. But in this recent one, he promoted the work in the afternoon and showed the video the next day and I think that is strange”, he emphasized.
Mr. Nyarko claimed the work of Anas has rather brought anger, resentment and disaffection instead of causing a change.
He concluded that “In times past when Anas releases a video you realize that the condemnation is roundly. But now that is not the case. People are beginning to ask questions and really not given it the attention it was initially enjoying”.
Source: Daniel Kaku
