Decent Council of State members won't advice pardon for Montie 3 – IMANI

The President of policy think-thank IMANI Center for Policy and Education, Franklin Coudjoe, has said he’ll be utterly shocked if the Council of State advices President John Mahama to pardon the jailed Montie trio, who have been sentenced by the Supreme Court to four months imprisonment.

Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has, on behalf of President JD Mahama, presented to the Council of State petitions received in respect of the incarceration of three (3) persons for contempt of court.

The petitions were received from lawyers of the jailed Montie Presenter, Salifu Maase, and his two guests, Ako Gunn and Alistair Nelson who have been jailed for four months by the Supreme Court, and a Civil Society Group, Research & Advocacy Platform.

The trio had threatened the lives of the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood and other judges who were sitting over a case in relation to the voters register, if they went ahead to rule on the matter in a way that will be disadvantageous to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). They were also fined GHC 10,000 each of which failure to pay would have attracted an additional one month jail term.

Presenting the petitions to the Chairperson of the Council, Madam Cecilia Johnson, Mr. Debrah said the President is looking forward to the advice of the Council.

The Chairperson announced that the petitions will be submitted to the Legal Committee of the Council for initial review before the Council as a whole meets to consider the issues.

But speaking on Okay FM Tuesday, Franklin Coudjoe stated that President John Mahama will lose the upcoming general election if he should grant the Montie trio whom he (Franklin) describes as treacherous and wicked people.

“It was very surprised to see these people some of whom have been educated with the poor tax payers money go to sign such a petition; Ghana becomes a joke with such actions. In any case, the President knows that all the people who went signing the petition are not serious, but he has to listen to them because in politics you have to give an ear to all shades of opinions, the President knowing this is an election is not able to order for the release of the trio. If he dares release those, treacherous, wicked people, he will lose the election immediately. The President is right in forwarding the petition to the Council of State, but I know the Council is made up of decent human beings, well educated…they will never grant any pardon.”