Multiple award-winning investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas has been fined GHc100,000 by a high court in Accra for land-grabbing, unlawful trespassing and use of land guards to intimidate the legitimate land owner, one Adolf Tetteh Adjei.
The High Court, presided over by Justice Kwame Gyamfi found Anas liable for trespassing and illegally building on the two-acre disputed land “using police and land guards day and night to brazenly deny Plaintiff from use of the land”.
Anas told the court the said Adolf Tetteh’s claim of ownership of the land “was tainted by fraud”.
The court after examination of all of the facts concluded that “The law would not permit anyone to allege fraud without proving same beyond reasonable doubt. One would also not be permitted to win the sympathy of the court by alleging fraud against his adversary without proving same beyond reasonable doubt.”
The court ordered Anas Aremeyaw Anas to vacate the disputed land and to pay Ghs60,000 in general damages and Ghs40,000 in legal cost to Adolf Tetteh who adduced evidence to prove he acquired the land legally and was about to build when Anas Aremeyaw Anas showed up.
The court said it was perpetually restraining Anas Aremeyaw Anas, “his servants, agents, assigns, workmen and all those claiming through him from entering, carrying out any construction works or interfering with all that piece or parcel of land in any manner whatsoever or disturbing the Plaintiff’s peaceful occupation and possession of same.”