The Ghana Independent Broadcasting Association (GIBA) has roundly condemned the death threats issued to the nation’s superior court judges on Accra-based Montie FM last week.
The threats were allegedly made by one Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, who appeared as panelists on a discussion program that airs regularly on the station.
The two men were said to have publicly lambasted the nation’s Supreme Court Judges over their handling of the latest lawsuit jointly filed by Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako over the credibility of Ghana’s voters’ register.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of GIBA, Akwasi Agyemang, said radio panelists must learn to be circumspect in their work.
“It came to us as a surprise… Just to put matters in perspective, a death threat is a criminal offense; it’s not something you can defend. So we have condemned it unequivocally and we feel that the right channels must be used to address this matter.”
“It has nothing to do with free speech or free content that we have been advocating so it’s quite sad at a time when we have been relentless in our battle for a proper expression of freedom of speech for this thing to happen. So we condemn this and we believe that it’s not something that any media practitioners should be proud of,” he added.
GJA slams Montie FM panelists
The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), had also condemned the threats by the two radio panelists.
A statement signed by GJA President, Affail Monney, called on the National Media Commission with support from the National Communication Authority to investigate the issue and ensure the necessary sanctions are applied to serve as deterrent for others.
One of the two later apologized for the comments, after which they were reportedly invited for questioning by the BNI.
We were terrified by Montie FM panelists’ threat – Judges
The Association of Judges and Magistrates say they are scared for their lives following the threats to eliminate them by two the political commentators.
According to the association, the utterances by the two panelists have put fear in many of its members who are responsible for dispensing justice in the country.
Government has since assured the judges of the needed security and has also warned against such reckless statements in the media landscape.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
