GIJ request for investigation into bribery case

The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) on Monday requested that the Ghana Journalists Association's Ethics Committee should investigate a report of an alleged bribery case against a lecturer of the Institute.

A statement issued and signed by the Director, Mr David Newton in Accra said the Statesman, a bi-weekly newspaper on Wednesday 12 February 2003, carried a news story, which implicated Mr Timothy Apau, who was described as a lecturer of the Institute in a case of bribery and corruption.

According to the statement Mr Apau was reported to have led a group of Environmental Journalists to demand an amount of 50 million cedis from a Kumasi based Waste Management Company in a bid to " kill a story ".

" In the first place we wish to point out that Mr Tomothy Apau is not a full-time lecturer of the Institute. He is a national service personnel engaged as a teaching assistant."

The statement added that since the story cast a slur on the reputation of the GIJ and the integrity of the lecturer, we wish to refer the case to the Ethics Committee of the GJA to investigate it and establish the truth to enable the Institute to take the appropriate action.

It said as a leading Journalism Training Institute, " we are mindful of the need to maintain high ethical standards in journalism."

The Institute would, therefore, not countenance any behaviour, which tended to undermine its image or the journalism profession as a whole.

" We assure you of our fullest co-operation in your investigation into the matter."