The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has condemned what it calls the attack on journalists by supporters of the embattled Political Show host of Accra-based Montie FM, Maase Salifu, aka Mugabe.
The attack was to prevent them from taking pictures and videos of the radio presenter and the panelists at the premises of the Supreme Court, on the first day of hearing of the contempt suit brought against them.
[contextly_sidebar id=”XLacxA2jFoJzTRsymK0gzSJdU7LUQnIQ”]Speaking to Citi News, the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association, David Agbenu, expressed his displeasure about the development, saying “it’s not right for any journalist to have been either shackled, attacked or beaten by anybody in line of duty”.
Mr. Agbenu cautioned journalists not to “put ourselves in the harm’s way…we should always be careful and ensure our personal security.”
According to Mr. Agbenu, journalists must be treated with respect like all other professionals.
He described the incident as an unfortunate one.
Background
Two panelists who participated in a political programme, ’Pamapaso’, on Montie FM in Accra, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, allegedly threatened the lives of judges of the Supreme Court if they ruled against the Electoral Commission in the lawsuit that was challenging the credibility of the voters’ register.
Their comments did not sit well with the judges. They were subsequently condemned by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) and the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).
The two were later picked up by BNI for interrogation, however a statement by BNI indicated that the two are “incapable of carrying out their threats and acted out of needless bravado”.
The Supreme Court cited the owners of the radio station and the two panelists for contempt. The Supreme Court heard the suit brought against the two panelists, the host and owners of the radio station on July 12th, 2016.
The case has been adjourned to July 18.
The station subsequently banned the two panelists until further notice, barely a day after they were cited for contempt, and suspended the host of the show, Salifu Maase, also known as Mugabe.
_
By: Kuukua Buahin/citifmonline.com/Ghana