The Supreme Court has cited owners of Accra-based Montie FM, the two panelists who allegedly threatened their lives as well as the host of the Show for contempt.
According to the judges, they have issued a warrant for them to appear before them to answer for contempt charges.
The two, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, allegedly threatened to “finish” the Supreme Court judges if they made any judgment against the Electoral Commission in the ongoing court case challenging the validity of the voters’ register. The two have been widely chastised over the comments.
We were terrified by Montie FM panelists’ threat – Judges
The Association of Judges and Magistrates on Monday said they were scared for their lives following the threats by the two the political commentators to eliminate them.
[contextly_sidebar id=”dqADCIVW3y8JUaRZcps36asBxAJSznRC”]In the case before the court, the People’s National Congress’ Abu Ramadan is seeking an interpretation of the court’s directive in an earlier ruling over the validity of the current register.
The Court in May ordered the Electoral Commission to delete names of persons who registered with NHIS cards as proof of Ghanaian citizenship before the 2012 elections from the voter’s register.
The ruling yielded many different interpretations with the EC stating that the court had not ordered an outright deletion but the use of its standard procedure.
The two commentators are said to have been angered by the court’s orders for the EC to submit all the names of person who registered with NHIS cards prior to the 2012 elections last week.
One of the panelists on the programme is reported to have said: “I know where the judges live in Accra, I can show you. I know their quarters, the Supreme Court judges. I also know the High Court judges. Yes, I’m telling you, God has a way to show…If they like, they should bring it on. It will start in their residences, I’m telling you, in their neighborhood. When we finish them, then it will be over. Then we will come and rule our nation because they don’t wish the nation well. So they have to go. We will see them off to return to where they came from. So that those of us who wish the nation well will take control of the nation and rule it. So they should sit there, and feel that they are Supreme Court judges so…Look, the EC is insulated, article 45. Go and check. You cannot do what you are doing there. You Supreme Court judges sitting there, what do you do for Ghana? Look at your judges accepting bribes, goats and GH¢100 and others. Are you not ashamed? Senior judges on the bench, by this time all of you should have resigned because of what your juniors were doing. Are you not ashamed?”
Montie FM panelist apologises after threatening to kill judges
Nelson later apologized in a statement saying: “I participated in a program on Montie FM. During my contribution, I made statements that in context, content (though conditional) and timing, are regrettable. Notwithstanding the many distortion that have accompanied the numerous public comments, I wish to apologize unreservedly to the listening public, including those who have called to caution and advise, and all members of the bench who have been offended by my contribution on the programme.”
But there have been calls for the two to be arrested and prosecuted for their dangerous comments.
The Ghana Bar Association on Friday called for the arrest and prosecution of the two, saying the comments “were also meant to incite hatred among the public against the judges” while the GJA in the statement called on media owners as well as the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), to prevent intemperate language on the airwaves especially ahead of the 2016 general elections.
Already, a Ghanaian citizen, Richard Asante Yeboah, has sued the radio station for contempt over the alleged threats.
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By: Nana Ama Agyemang Asante/citifmonline.com/Ghana