The MP for Assin Central and chairman of thepParliamentary select committee on security, defence and intelligence, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against the United States-based, self-styled journalist Kevin Taylor, and his Loud Silence Media (llc) organisation, seeking US$9.5 million in damages.
According to a 15-page court document filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Alexandria Division) and signed by Robert Powers Esq, Agyapong’s action “arises from the false and defamatory statements in a series of videos and an email correspondence published by Defendants [Kevin Taylor and Loud Silence Media] via Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms about Plaintiff [Kennedy Agyapong]”. The plaintiff is described as a “Member of Parliament (‘MP’) of the Republic of Ghana, reputed entrepreneur, philanthropist and well-known businessman”.
“With malice and reckless disregard, Defendants falsely ascribed Plaintiff [sic] on several occasions as a criminal. Defendants falsely stated that Plaintiff is a ‘murderer’, ‘drug dealer’, ‘drug addict’, ‘thief’ and ‘green card fraudster’,” says the complaint.
“These false and defamatory statements have caused severe harm to Plaintiff’s personal, business and political reputation. Plaintiff has also suffered severe embarrassment and personal humiliation due to Defendants’ defamatory statements,” reads the section of the suit on the nature of the action.
Factual background
The factual background given in support of the action states, among other things, that the defendants up till today continue to repeat false and defamatory statements about the plaintiff on their social media platforms, and other news outlets or platforms have also shared or republished the false statements by the defendants.
“As Defendants are aware, Plaintiff is not a murderer: Plaintiff has never been the prime suspect of any murder investigation, he has never been charged or been before any grand jury for murder, nor has he been convicted of murder in any jurisdiction.
“As Defendants are aware, Plaintiff is not a ‘drug dealer’: Plaintiff has never been investigated for engaging in the business of illegal drugs, he has never been charged with engaging in illegal drugs, nor has he been convicted for engaging in illegal drugs in any jurisdiction.
“As Defendants are aware, Plaintiff has not participated in immigration (green card) fraud. Plaintiff has never been investigated by the United States Center for Immigration Services (USCIS) or any law enforcement for engaging in green card fraud, he has never been charged with green card fraud, nor has he been convicted for engaging in green card fraud in any jurisdiction.
“As Defendants are aware, Plaintiff is not a thief. Plaintiff has never been investigated for engaging in theft, he has never been charged with engaging in theft, nor has he been convicted for engaging in theft in any jurisdiction,” Agyapong’s suit declares, in documentation tendered by way of the facts in the court action.
Agyapong’s suit, which is dated 29 October 2021, further contends that “Defendants’ factual assertions to the contrary are false [and] offensive and [damage] the reputation of Plaintiff as an MP. Their false factual assertions are offensive and [damaging to] the reputation of Plaintiff as a reputed entrepreneur and businessman.”
Furthermore, the suit says: “Defendants published the false statements about Plaintiff maliciously and without regard to the truth or falsity of the statements made.
“Defendants either knew the falsity of those statements or acted in reckless disregard of the truth and chose to peddle falsehood that Plaintiff is a murderer, ‘drug dealer’, immigration fraudster, and a thief.”
Reliefs sought
The Ghanaian lawmaker is seeking seven reliefs from the court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. First, “an injunctive relief prohibiting Defendants, and each of them, from posting on any media outlet any further defamatory remarks, per se or otherwise”.
Second, “an apology from Defendants via and through the same channels Defendants used to defame Plaintiff, including LSM social media platforms and email correspondence sent to individuals, including the mayor of Worcester”.
Third, he requests “compensatory damages, including economic and non-economic damages of at least $9,500,000”, and, fourthly, “punitive damages in the amount of $350,000.00 pursuant to Va. Code § 8.01-38.1”.
The fifth, sixth and seventh reliefs Agyapong is seeking are “attorneys’ fees, or consideration of such fees in determining punitive damages, costs, of this action and disbursements, to the extent permitted by law”, “pre- and post-judgment interest” and “such other or further relief as the court deems just”.
Click on the link below to read the full court document filed by Kennedy Agyapong
Kennedy Agyapong versus Kevin Taylor
Wilberforce Asare
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