The seven-member panel of judges, presided over by Justice Sophia Adinyira, openly chided the lawyers, stating that they had failed to file their memorandum of issues a year after they were ordered to do so.

The lawyers in response cited circumstances beyond their control as being responsible for the delay.

[contextly_sidebar id=”nO2qP8XyhIkRaGkoIK1DyqDXY6yDoBR9″]The consolidated suit was filed by three plaintiffs namely Nana Asante Bediatuo, Elikplim Agbemeva and Alfred Yeboah against the Attorney General.

The plaintiffs contend that the President cannot assume powers exclusively held by the Judiciary under the constitution of Ghana.

They are also pleading with the court to declare as null and void, the remission of the punishment by then President Mahama of a four-month jail term imposed on Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Masse.

The Montie 3, as they became widely known, were jailed on July 27, 2016 after they threatened to kill some judges on a political talk show on Accra-based Montie FM.

Mugabe and his two panelists were sentenced to serve four months in jail but former President John Mahama on August 22, 2016, remitted the four-month prison sentence handed to the three.

John Mahama took the decision after receiving a petition signed by top government officials and National Democratic Congress (NDC) functionaries.

It is believed that the number of top officials in his government who signed the petition compelled him to take the decision to pardon the three who were affiliated to the ruling party at the time.

The former president’s decision evoked outrage across the nation with many criticizing him for setting a bad precedent and undermining the judiciary.

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By: Fred Djabonor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Plaintiffs slammed for delaying suit against Montie 3’s pardon appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

John Mahama took the decision after receiving a petition signed by top government officials and National Democratic Congress (NDC) functionaries.

It is believed that the number of top officials in his government who signed the petition compelled him to take the decision to pardon the three who were affiliated to the ruling party at the time.

Mugabe and his two panalists, Alistair Nelson, and Godwin Ako Gunn were sentenced to serve four months in jail for threatening the lives of some Justices of the Supreme Court.

The former president’s decision to pardon the three evoked outrage across the nation with many criticizing him for setting a bad precedent and undermining the judiciary.

Below is how citifmonline.com reported the story when the three were pardoned by John Mahama:

Mahama pardons Montie Three

President John Dramani Mahama has remitted the four months prison sentence handed to the Montie FM host, and two panelists who were convicted of contempt  by the Supreme Court and jailed.

This was after a petition signed by top government officials and NDC functionaries, was presented to the President asking him to pardon the three, who are affiliated to the ruling party. The petition was received by the President and forwarded to the council of state for advice.

Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, had been sentenced to serve four months in jail and paid a fine of Ghc10,000 each, but have now been granted their freedom three months early.

As a result, their release is expected before the end of this month, August 2016.

The trio had expressed their regret for the comments they made on the Accra-based radio station and called on the President to bear in mind the embarrassment their conduct and incarceration has caused their loved ones, in his consideration of the petition and reverse the “harsh and excessive” sentence.

A statement signed by the Minister of Communications on Monday, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, said that the President had taken the decision to pardon the three on ‘compassionate grounds’ given the remorse they had demonstrated.

“The decision of His Excellency the President to remit their sentences on compassionate grounds follows a petition submitted to him by the contemnors appealing to the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy even as they continue to express deep remorse and regret for the unacceptable statements they made against the Judiciary,” the statement said.

Pressure on Mahama to free Montie 3

The president had been under pressure to pardon the three, after two separate petitions were presented to him, endorsed by some Ministers of State and senior members of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Education Minister, Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, deputy Education Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur and Foreign Affairs Minister, Hanna Tetteh all endorsed the petition.

Other Ministers including Trade Minister, Ekow Spio Garbrah and Transport Minister, Fiifi Kwetey have visited the trio in jail.

However, groups including Occupy Ghana had spoken against the petitions presented for a pardon, stating that the positions of Ministers who had endorsed it was untenable.

According to Occupy Ghana, by being signatories to the petitions, the Ministers had endorsed hooliganism, which was unacceptable for people in their position.

International human rights advocacy group, Amnesty International, has backed calls for a presidential pardon for the jailed Montie FM panelists and host if they showed genuine remorse for their actions.

The three had threatened to kill justices of the Supreme Court following their handling of the lawsuit that was challenging the credibility of Ghana’s voters’ register.

Jailing of Montie 3 unconstitutional – Martin Amidu

The latest development comes barely few days after one of Ghana’s most respected lawyers and a former Attorney General in the NDC administration, Martin Amidu, asserted that the procedure used in jailing the three was unconstitutional.

The former AG also argued that, there was nothing wrong with calls for the President to exercise his prerogative power of mercy, in the case of the jailed Montie FM trio.

Gov’t sued over petition to free Montie 3

The President’s decision also comes at a time when a Ghanaian citizen, Elikplim L. Agbemava,  has filed a suit seeking an interlocutory injunction to restrain the President from exercising his prerogative of mercy under Article 72 of the constitution to free the Montie three contemnors.

Full statement

PRESIDENT GRANTS REMISSION OF SENTENCE TO THREEE CONTEMNORS

The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has, in consultation with the Council of State and in exercise of his constitutional powers under Article 72 of the Constitution, remitted the remaining prison sentence imposed on three persons: Salifu Maase (alias Mugabe), Alistair Nelson and Ako Gunn who were sentenced to 4 months imprisonment and a fine of GHȻ10,000.00 each for contempt of court. The remission is effective 26th August 2016

The three were sentenced on 27th July 2016 and have served part of the prison sentences imposed on them. They have also paid the GHȻ10,000.00 (ten thousand Cedis) fines.
The decision of His Excellency the President to remit their sentences on compassionate grounds follows a petition submitted to him by the contemnors appealing to the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy even as they continue to express deep remorse and regret for the unacceptable statements they made against the Judiciary.

His Excellency, President Mahama takes this opportunity to remind all Ghanaians of the need to respect the institutions of State and exercise freedom of speech responsibly mindful of the need to preserve peace and national unity.

The President reminds all concerned especially persons working in the media or appearing on its platforms to be circumspect and guard against the use of intemperate language which has the potential of causing unnecessary tension especially in this election year.
The President is hopeful that all will draw lessons from the events leading to the conviction of the three persons and bear in mind the consequences of injudicious utterances.

Signed:
EDWARD K. OMANE BOAMAH (DR.)
(Minister)

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post A year ago today: Mahama pardoned Montie Three appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the NDC government’s act was legal in the face of the law.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6WEZQOE8yUSSMDWtQTSTqinTLFKWb9Wb”]“Which part of the Montie 3 case has not happened according to the rule of law? Is it covered by our constitution that people should be prosecuted when they verbally assault members of the judiciary? And the answer is yes. Were they prosecuted, the answer again is yes and convicted. Is it lawful for the president to exercise the perogative of pardon in our constitution? And that answer is also yes. So everything that happened, in that case, proceeded according to the rule of law,” Asiedu Nketia said.

“If you believe in a cause and you argue for your cause to be pursued in a democracy, that is different from mobilizing arms and training people to go and assault security agencies,” he added.

Some members of a vigilante group affiliated to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Delta Force, stormed the Kumasi Circuit Court on Thursday and freed the members of their group who were facing charges for causing disturbances at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.

The group vandalized some court property, and almost assaulted the Judge, Mary Senkyire.

The judge had ruled that they be remanded to reappear before the court on the 20th of April, 2017 after charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

The incident has incensed many Ghanaians who have accused the government of doing nothing to stop the members of the group from carrying out such attacks.

The opposition National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) attempt to also criticize the NPP for the development has not gone down well with the NPP government who have said that the NDC has no moral right to criticize NPP over the Delta Force’s action after it also free three convicts who were serving jail term for threatening the lives of some Judges.

But the General Secretary of the NDC believes the two incidences had entirely different elements, suggesting that the NDC’s action was lawful.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, he further accused the New Patriotic Party of doing nothing to address the violent attacks being carried out by groups affiliated with the party, indicating that the party had consistently demonstrated its disregard for the nation’s security especially in the run-up to the election.

He cited the NPP’s invitation of ex-South African security officers to train some of its members in security operations as a demonstration of the party’s intention of creating a parallel security force in the country in spite of the fact that it was against the constitution.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Montie 3 case cannot be compared to Delta Force attack – Asiedu Nketia appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Violence broke at the Nima residence flagbearer on Sunday morning for reasons yet to be made public but according to the NPP, the incident is part of series of activities planned by the governing National Democratic Congress “to bait the NPP into responding in similar fashion.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”gYxjiVm5NyCERvGwU2Cql5gIQMAZVo39″]In a statement signed by its Director of Communications, Nana Akomea, the NPP said it was certain the NDC was there mainly to assault NPP supporters and create an environment of fear within Ghana 24 days to the election.

It said, Mr Godwin Ako Gunn led the NDC supporters to mass up in front of the home of Nana Addo and violently attack the security detail outside the presidential candidate’s house.

The party has expressed its disgust over the incident and called on National Peace Council, the Christian Council, and all Civil Society Organisations to publicly condemn it.

Details of how the incident occurred remain sketchy but the NDC were said to be on a health walk in the area when the incident occurred.

Calm has however been restored to the area following the early intervention of the police.

Read the full statement below:

The NPP wishes to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the latest provocation by the NDC in attacking the home of our Flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Early this morning, a large crowd of NDC supporters led by one Ako Gunn, one of the Muntie 3 who was recently pardoned by President Mahama after being jailed for threatening to rape and murder the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, massed up in front of the home of Nana Addo, and violently attacked the security detail outside the presidential candidate’s house. We thank the police for their speedy and invaluable intervention.

The motive for this act is not in doubt. The NDC was clearly there for one reason and one reason only: to assault NPP supporters and create an environment of fear within Ghana 24 days to the election.

This action was premeditated and unquestionably violent. Amassing NDC supporters outside of the NPP Flagbearer’s house is part of a broad range of calculated, violent, and provocative acts designed to bait the NPP into responding in similar fashion.

Such behavior is a threat to the integrity of our democracy and must not be tolerated.

We call on the National Peace Council, the Christian Council, and all Civil Society Organisations to let their voices be heard in condemnation of this violent act.

…signed…

Nana Akomea

(Director of Communications)

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC’s Ako Gunn led attacks at Nana Addo’s residence – Akomea appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.