The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong’s defamation suit against US-based Ghanaian journalist, Kevin Taylor has been struck out by a United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The MP, in his suit requested damages to the tune of USD $9.5 from the defendant [Kevin Taylor] for what he described as a series of “false and defamatory statements” in a series of videos and email correspondence published by Defendants (Kevin Taylor and Loud Silence Media) via Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms about Plaintiff.”
But the court in its ruling stated that the legislator has no basis for demanding $9.5 million dollars in damages since he cannot prove his stated claims of defamation.
Though the legislator was seeking seven reliefs from the court, including an injunction to stop Kevin Taylor from posting more defamatory comments such as a “murderer, drug dealer, and drug addict, thief, and green card fraudster” on any media outlet, the judge, Liam O’Grady, chose to throw the case out.
Dismissing the suit, the judge said “it is undisputed that Agyapong is a public figure and Taylor’s statements were made regarding matters of public concern. The Amended Complaint does not plead any factual material that demonstrates Taylor’s disputed statements were published with actual malice.”
“…the Amended Complaint does not plausibly state a claim under the Virginia Computer Crimes Act. For these reasons, the Motion to Dismiss the Amended Complaint (Dkt. 13) is GRANTED and the above captioned civil action is DISMISSED.”
The court further ruled that “the Plaintiff has 60 days to file a Second Amended Complaint if that filing would meet the requirements discussed in this Order,”
