Samuel Joachim Bokeem, a 35-year old Kumasi-based sports pundit , was left sweating profusely before apologising to the Justice Senyo Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry on Thursday during the 11th day of sittings.<\/p>\n
Mr. Bokeem, was hauled before the Commission to answer questions based on comments made on Hello FM in Kumasi a few weeks ago that the Commission found contemptuous.<\/p>\n
He essentially called the need of the body into question and said their activities constituted a drain on the nation\u2019s finances.<\/p>\n
On the said programme on the Kumasi-based radio station Hello FM, some of his comments (translated from his native Twi language) were as follows:<\/p>\n
\u201cThis commission that has been set up has just been set up to waste money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bokeem went on: \u201cThey will definitely meet at a venue and they will be served with food and water. They are in Kumasi ,as we speak, for a sitting and they will be lodged at a place like the Golden Tulip Hotel.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll these are expense will be borne by the state. But what will be the importance of these things if people who were directly like Sulley Muntari, Kwesi Nyantakyi or Ibrahim Saane Daara cannot be called to testify? Then we would have been better of not setting the Commission in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Justice Senyo Dzamefe was very upset at the comments, especially the insinuation that the commission wasted taxpayers\u2019 money at the Golden Tulip Hotel.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see any commissioner sleeping there? I for one I was not even in Kumasi and no one here even slept there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The justice wanted punishment was tempered by the pleas of sports journalists who were present at the sittings, mainly Ernest Bruce-Smith of Peace FM, a station that owns Hello FM.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy Lord, it is quite unfortunate that this has happened. Some of us are close to Moses Foh-Amoaning, who is like a father to us and so we have learned a lot from him. Samuel has not had that chance and does not know these things. We are asking for forgiveness on his behalf.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bokeem, who was then looking solemn, pleaded for forgiveness from the Commission and said he had grown to understand the workings of the Commission.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn that particular day, My Lord, my lay man\u2019s opinion was way off what was acceptable and I would like to stand right before this honourable Commission to apologise for my comments.<\/p>\n
Ever since the Commission started its sittings, I have watched and studied what it has been doing and I have been taught to be more responsible with my comments. I would like to apologise for my comments. Thank you, Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n
Media should raise the bar<\/b><\/p>\n
A very upset Moses Foh-Amoaning, a member of the Commission and a veteran broadcaster, was very unhappy with the episode and called for media houses to respect the high standards journalism must be accompanied by.<\/p>\n
If we, the media, lose our value,we cannot call politicians to order and ask them the needed questions.<\/p>\n
We must avoid the irresponsible brand of journalism this is hurting us now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my 40 years of working in the media, I had not heard profanity being used on air but it is becoming a trend and I have been complaining about this.<\/p>\n
What happens is that, the so-called programme managers do not bother themselves and when I ask them why this occurs, they tell me \u201cit\u2019s for the shegey or just for the fun of it in English.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Is that how media houses are supposed to be run? Production teams are supposed to monitor so that the right information goes on air for listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n Strong Warning\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Samuel Joachim Bokeem was given a stern warning by Justice Senyo Dzamefe and was asked to formally send his apology to the Commission on Friday.<\/p>\n He was strongly cautioned not to repeat such utterances and respect the authority of the Commission and the personalities of its members.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Nathan Quao\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Samuel Joachim Bokeem, a 35-year old Kumasi-based sports pundit , was left sweating profusely before apologising to the Justice Senyo Dzamefe Commission of Inquiry on Thursday during the 11th day of sittings. Mr. Bokeem, was hauled before the Commission to answer questions based on comments made on Hello FM in Kumasi a few weeks ago […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":42803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[3,38],"yoast_head":"\n