Larry Paa Kwesi Moses acting GJA President in the Brong Ahafo region has cautioned media practitioners or journalists to be very circumspect in their daily reportage in order not to get into trouble with the laws of the country.
He was advising his members after the Techiman Circuit Court presided over by His Honour Alexander Graham yesterday 8th August, 2017 acquitted and discharged two comrades in the inky fraternity involved in a “false publication Case”.
Awudu Iddrisu alias Mighty Judah former manager and morning show host of Winners Fm and Mark Abbrey News Editor of Techiman Times Newspaper were on Friday 30th June, 2017 charged with “False publication” after the former during his program on Monday 12th June, 2017 announced that he knows the whereabouts of perpetrators of recent unexplained murders and disappearances of people in the Techiman Municipality and was willing to furnish the Police with the needed information if he was invited.
In his prosecution Detective Inspector B. M. Diboro continued that the same was recorded of the later who did a story in that effect and published on social media (Whats App)
These actions by the two journalists caused fear and panic among the people of Techiman so they were invited by the Police and no evidence could be provided by them; hence their statements were taken and subsequently charged.
On Friday 14th July, 2017 the case couldn’t be heard because the judge had traveled for another important service elsewhere and couldn’t sit, so it was again billed for Tuesday 1st August, 2017.
During Tuesday’s sitting Lawyer Eric Ansah counsel for the two requested for an out of court settlement because the case was a misdemeanor case which the Techiman Police who were the complainants in the case agreed, so His Honour Alexander Graham granted that and adjourned to Tuesday 8th August, 2017.
On this day, following consultation and interactions between the Media on behalf the suspects (Awudu Iddrisu and Mark Abbrey) and the Techiman Police Command as well as the demeanor or show of remorsefulness by the suspects, His Honour Alexander Graham acquitted and discharged the case.
He concluded that, this case should be a very serious lesson to all reporters.
Meanwhile, Iddrisu Awudu alias Mighty Judah while facing trial at the court was issued an “indefinite suspension” letter from his employer Hon. Alex Kyeremeh a former Techiman North NDC MP and deputy minister of Education who happens to be the owner of Winners Fm in Techiman in connection with the case as a new presenter has been signed to take over his radio programmes and another in place of his managerial position.
ahotoronline.com|Ghana
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