Anas Aremeyaw Anas

Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a Ghanaian investigative journalist born in the late 1970s.^[1] Anas's motto is "name, shame and jail" and he is famous for utilizing his anonymity as a tool in his investigative arsenal; very few people had seen his face until "unmasking" during a BBC interview in November 2015 — however, that too turned out to be a clever prosthetic.^[2][3] A politically non-aligned multimedia journalist who specializes in print media and documentary, Anas focuses on issues of human rights and anti-corruption in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa.

Anas has won critical acclaim for his work advocating for basic human rights such as the right to not be held in human slavery or servitude and for his work exposing corruption. His investigative works have won him worldwide acclaim, including President Barack Obama highlighting his virtues in a speech during a 2009 visit to Ghana: "An independent press. A vibrant private sector. A civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy. [...] We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth."^[4] Anas has won more than 14 international awards for his investigative work. He was polled as the fifth most influential Ghanaian in 2011 by ETV.^[5] and named one of the "Most Influential Africans of the Year" by New African magazine.^[6] in December 2014. Chameleon by Ryan Mullins, a documentary about Anas's life and work, was premiered at the 2014 IDFA festival in Amsterdam.^[7] In December 2015 Foreign Policy magazine named Anas one of 2015's leading global thinkers, an honour previously granted to the likes of Barack Obama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Pope Benedict XVI, and Malala Yousafzai.^[8] In March 2016, Anas was invited by Harvard Law School as a keynote speaker to share his experiences as an international undercover journalist creating change on the continent of Africa in 2016. He is consistently invited to talk on his work at gatherings all around the world. In the period from October to December 2016, Anas made his first foray into public life, outside of the world of investigative journalism, as a powerful advocate for peace in his "Anas4Peace" multimedia campaign.^[9] These films, jingles and interactive social media posts brought together 22 of the most powerful non-alinged Ghanian celebrities to advocate for peace during the election period.

Early life

Anas grew up in a military barracks in Ghana.^[1] He attended the University of Ghana. After university he turned down an opportunity to work as a reporter for the Ghanaian Times newspaper, instead choosing to join the Crusading Guide newspaper in 1998. The editor of the newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr, had just been released from jail in the same year.

Notable investigative works

1. The Burger Story (1999): This was the first undercover work by Anas. He worked as a street hawker to expose police officers who took bribes from unlicensed traders on a major highway in Accra.

2. Torture on The High Seas (July 2003): Anas went undercover aboard a shipping vessel of Afko fisheries to expose the maltreatment of Ghanaian workers by a Korean employer.

3. Bole Rebel Raid (April 2005): An investigative story which exposed how Ivorian rebels invaded Ghanaian territories in 2005, made incursions into some northern communities, and subjected the inhabitants to constant torture and abuse.

In this story Anas went undercover at "Saru" and "Walata" among other villages where Ivorian rebels had invaded and captured the chief of Saru and some of his elders. As part of the investigation, Anas went as 'Prince of Walata' and managed to meet the rebel leader. He got information about the rebels' camp and operations.

After the story was reported, the government of John Kufuor took steps to address the lack of security in the affected communities. This led to the release of the chief and his elders. The government provided adequate security for the affected Ghanaian communities and secured the borders.

4. Eurofood Scandal (13 June 2006): An investigation by Anas in which he went undercover as menial worker at Eurofood, a biscuit and confectionery factory in Ghana. Eurofood was using expired and maggot-infested flour to produce biscuits for public consumption in Ghana and other parts of Africa.

5. Torture Chamber OF BANGKOK PRISONS (2006): An Anas undercover investigation where he travelled to Thailand to infiltrate its prisons as a Catholic Priest. He interviewed some Ghanaian and West African prisoners about the maltreatment and deaths of foreign prisoners in jail. He thereby exposed the abuse of Ghanaians and other expatriate prisoners in Thai prisons.

As a result of Anas' work, the government of Ghana successfully negotiated (with the government of Thailand) the transfer of all convicted Ghanaians prisoners in Thailand to Ghana.

6. Soja Bar Prostitution (September 2007): An investigation into one of the largest brothels in Ghana at the time. Anas went undercover by posing as a cleaner. He exposed how some teenagers were forced into prostitution.

He also exposed Soja Bar as a place for hardened criminals and the exploitation of women. Soja Bar was later demolished by Ghanaian authorities and some of the under-aged prostitutes were taken in by Ghana's Social Welfare.

7. Passport Scandal (April 2006): Posing as a rich businessman, Anas worked to expose officials within Ghana's passport office who provided Ghanaian passports to non-citizens for a fee. He made hundreds of passports using fake identities. Passports were done in the name of the then President, the Inspector General of Police and other high political and national characters to prove the system was corrupt. This led to the fast track introduction of biometric passport for Ghanaians.

8. Humans for Sale: DONS EXPOSED (2008): This was an investigation Anas carried out over an eight-month period. It spanned over five countries in West Africa and Europe. He worked to penetrate an international trafficking ring, gathered evidence to prosecute a political figure, rescued 17 girls about to be trafficked, exposed corrupt immigration officials, and stood as a witness in the trial.

9. Imam's School of Shock (August 2008): This is a story of a slave master who trafficked and abused 15 kids in Ghana and Togo using an Islamic school as a bait. He recruited these young victims into a life of begging and amassed significant wealth from their sweat and toil. Anas gathered evidence about these inhumane acts through the use of a hidden camera. This led to the arrest of the slave master.

January 2010

Inside Ghana’s Madhouse Undercover in Ghana’s biggest psychiatric hospital Anas exposed patient’s human rights abuses.^[10]

April 2010

In The Interest Of The State Exposed cocoa smugglers and their cohorts in Ghana’s security system^[11]

September 2010

Orphans Home Of Hell – Osu Undercover in Ghana’s biggest state run orphanage. Exposed corruption and abuse of children in the facility^[12]

February 2011

Enemies Of The Nation Undercover to expose fraud and corruption at one of Ghana’s key points of entry, the Tema harbor.^[13]

December 2011

Al Jazeera Africa Investigates (Four films) a. Sierra Leone – Timber^[14] b. Ghana’s Gold^[15] c. Fools’ Gold^[16] d. Spell of the Albino -Tanzania^[17]

January 2012

The Prez’s Assignment - Stealing the People’s Power A three-phase investigation into the power distribution sector in Ghana. Exposed acts of corruption on the part of employees of power distribution company ECG (electricity company of Ghana) and indebtedness on the part of individuals and companies^[18]

June 2012

Dons Of The Forest A follow-up to "In The Interest of The State" operation to busted a ring of people who diverted and sold fertilizers meant for the cocoa farmer.

July 2012

Deadly Gold An investigation into the negative effects of illegal gold mining in Ghana.

September 2012

Wild Ghana Project A look at how gullible and vulnerable customers can be exploited, featuring the "Abortion Lord" who had sex with his female clients when they came to him for abortions.^[19]

January 2013

Al Jazeera -People and Power How To Rob Africa This was a film on how African businesses fleece their governments and stash these stolen funds in off-shore accounts. With journalist Stanley Kwenda.^[20]

Spirit Child Filmed in Northern Ghana, where Anas exposed the barbaric sacrifices of children who were believed to bring ill luck to their families. The story led to the arrest of some fetish priests, with Anas advocating for the prosecution of such persons.^[21]

May 2013

The Messiah of Mentukwa The story of how one woman Helen Jesus Christ, set up a church in a remote village in Ghana’s hinterland and convinced members that Jesus Christ was coming soon and they could only be saved if they cut themselves off the rest of the world. With that came physical abuse and children being denied access to school.^[22]

April 2014

Ghana Sex Mafia Film built on the Chinese Sex Mafia story of February 2009. Tells the story of how Chinese girls were trafficked into Ghana and how Anas went undercover to bust the ring and testified in court leading to the prosecution of the traffickers

Ghana's Soul Takers This was a three part investigative documentary that was centered on road safety. The first part looked at driver licensing and the corruption and fraud it is fraught with.

The second installment entitled 'Doom - the silent killer next door, tells three social interest stories of how families lost loved ones to the carnage on our roads. it also highlighted some of the dangers associated with commercial transport.

The third part examines police corruption and the tacit contribution of Ghana's traffic police (the Motor Traffic and Transport Department, MTTD) of the Police Service.^[23]

December 2014

AL Jazeera Africa Investigates _ Season 2 Nigeria’s Fake Doctors Anas teamed up with colleague Rosemary Nwaebuni to blow the lid off the activities of quack doctors who are risking the lives of vulnerable people in Africa's most populous nation. The film led to the arrest of two such bogus medics who were using pharmacy shops and even beer parlours as operating theaters for persons who were in desperate need of medical attention. It presents persons who have no medical qualification or knowledge whatsoever placing women in need of abortion under the knife with the resultant fatal injuries.^[24]

Ghana’s Food For Thought Focuses on the problem of stealing and corruption in the process of getting donated food to the starving to whom it is destined. Anas went undercover to expose the activities of the Ghana Health Service officers who ran a corrupt business by commercially selling specialized foods donated by the World Food Program (WFP) and destined free-of-charge to malnourished children in the north. It resulted in the dramatic arrest of three persons. All the suspects captured in the act of committing this crime are currently in police custody. ^[25]

September 2015

Ghana judiciary scandal On 23 September 2015 Anas premiered, in four showings, in front of a record-breaking audience of more than 6500 people, at the Accra International Conference Center,^[26] his new – and perhaps most significant to date – undercover film Ghana In The Eyes Of God. It exposed the widespread corruption within the judiciary and graphically showed court workers like clerks and bailiffs connive with a number of respected judges to influence court cases through bribes. 34 judges and magistrates were caught on a hidden camera receiving enticements of money, goats, sheep and even foodstuff. As a result, presumed robbers, murderers, drug traffickers, rapists and litigants in land cases went free. The film effectively created a deep and destabilizing crises of conscience in Ghanaian society. A disciplinary committee of the Judicial Council was set up to probing the allegations of bribery and extortion against the thirty-four judges and magistrates. At one point it had to have suspended its sittings following a suit by 14 Circuit Court judges at the Fast Track High Court challenging the legality or otherwise of the procedure adopted by the committee to investigate the matter.

More than 100 members of staff of the Judicial Service were then investigated after Anas submitted a petition and videos showing the affected staff receiving bribes to compromise cases. Anas has asked for the dismissal of the affected persons and as a result, the Judicial Council has begun investigations into the matter once again. The affected judges have since been suspended. Anas was given protection from prosecution but the situation remains tense.^[27][28] The effect of his documentary film was heightened by a number of pop songs,^[29][30][31] cartoons ^[32] and other public shows of support. An in-depth article in ^[33] The Guardian on 24 September. On 7 December The Council unanimously decided to remove from office 20 out of the 21 Judges and Magistrates cited in the petition. Some were removed from office without benefits and others with benefits. Those removed with benefits were remorseful when they appeared before the Committee and apologized profusely to the people of Ghana and the Judiciary for bringing the name of the institution into disrepute by their conduct.^[34] The Council, where Anas is personally presenting the evidence, resumed sitting mid-January 2016 to continue probing into the rest of the cases.

December 2015