No breathing space for Montie 3 at Nsawam Prisons

Authorities at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons are closely monitoring the three persons jailed in the Montie FM saga, Alistair Nelson, John Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, a.k.a Mugabe, Kasapafmonline.com sources at the prison facility have said.

The trio have been restricted from leaving where they are staying, and have been told they can only enter the main yard with an accompanying officer.

We can say on authority that at around 3pm Sunday, Ako Gunn was stopped from entering the main yard unaccompanied.

It is not clear why the ‘close monitoring’ as our sources call it but it’s been suggested it is purely a security and intelligence measure.

“Some officers and inmates have been going to them … chatting with them but all the same security eye is on them with the view that they will not behave in a funny way,” one of our sources told us.

Mugabe, Nelson and Gunn, our source added, appear to be comfortable in the prison yard, at least for now.

The three were slapped with a four-month jail sentence by the Supreme Court on July 27, 2016 for contempt of court.

They were also fined GH?10,000 each, failure to pay of which will attract another term imprisonment.

Owners of the station were all also found guilty of contempt and as well fined 30, 000 or face a jail term of one month.

The owners, NETWORK Broadcasting Company were also ordered to provide the court with measures put in place to guard against the recurrence of such incidence.

Justice Sophia Akuffo in her ruling said the sentencing of the three should serve as a deterrent to owners of media houses, journalists and others who flagrantly make such irresponsible and reckless comments against the judiciary.

The two panelists, Mugabe and owners of the station appeared before the Supreme Court on Monday, July 18 after they were ordered by the Apex Court to appear to answer for the contempts charges leveled against them.

Alistair Nelson told the court he suffered a condition, “kpokpo gbligbli” which explains for the reason why he made the contemptuous statements.

The contemnors pleaded guilty and the owners of the station through their counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

At their last appearance before Wednesday’s sentencing, they were found guilty of scandalising the court, defying and lowering the authority of the court, and bringing it into disrepute.and ordered to re-appear before the court today July 27, 2016 for sentencing.