Free Tsatsu Campaign team embarks on sensitization exercise

Accra, Aug. 9 GNA-The Free Tsatsu Campaign team, a pressure group on Saturday embarked on a 3-hour public sensitization exercise on its reasons in fighting for the release of incarcerated former Chief Executive of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata.

The group mounted banners at 4 designated spots at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and distributed leaflets, stickers and interacted with members of the public as part of efforts to mount public pressure for the release of Mr. Tsikata from prison.

The four designated spots included both pedestrian walkways at the ring road central, headquarters of the Ghana Commercial Bank and the Overhead Bridge.

Speaking at the end of the exercise, Mr. Tony Lithur, a legal practitioner and member of the team said the essence of the exercise was to let members of the public know that the incarceration of Mr. Tsikata was morally and legally wrong.

"We cannot allow what happened to Mr. Tsikata to continue because it could be somebody's turn the next time. Mr. Tsikata invested in a viable venture and that could not be used as a basis to jail him. All the procedures in the legal system need to be exhausted before one could be jailed but that was not the case during the trial of Mr. Tsikata," Mr. Lithur said.

He urged members of the public to read the leaflets, in order to understand the issues at stake and support the fight for the release of Mr. Tsikata.

Mr. Kwasi Pratt Junior, Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper said the struggle for the release of Mr. Tsikata would continue until he is released.

"Injustice to one Ghanaian is injustice to all and we all have to resist such injustices in our legal system.

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, member of the Campaign team said the exercise was also aimed at breaking down the legal issues in the trial and sentencing of Mr. Tsikata to the level of understanding by the ordinary Ghanaian.

An Accra Fast Track High Court (FTC) on June 18 2008 sentenced the former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, to a five-year jail sentence for willfully causing financial loss of more than 2.3 billion old cedis to the state. Mr. Tsikata Tsatsu was charged with three counts of willfully causing financial loss of GHc 230,000 (2.3 billion old Ghana cedis) to the State through a loan he, on behalf of GNPC, guaranteed for Valley Farms, a private company, and another count of misapplying public property.

He was found guilty on all four counts and sentenced to five years on each, with the sentences running concurrently. The Supreme Court has fixed October 16, 2008, to decide on whether or not to quash the decision of the trial Fast Track (High) Court, that preceded the incarceration of the former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata. The court, presided over by Justice Sophia Akuffo, will further determine whether or not, by the alleged judicial misconduct of the trial Judge, the constitutional rights of the former GNPC boss were violated.

Mr. Tsikata had requested the court to quash the decision of Justice Henrietta Abban, arguing that her conduct was that of denying him the right to either represent himself or be represented by a counsel of his choice.