Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, has for the first time commented on the accusations Tsatsu Tsikata made against one of the nine-member panel of judges that sat on the election petition challenging the validity of the 2012 general election; claims the NDC lawyer made when he (Pratt) hosted him (Tsatsu) on a television programme.
He (Pratt) has been publicly condemned by some for asking “leading questions” which culminated in the accusation by Lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata that Justice Anin-Yeboah allowed his political affiliations to cloud his judgment.
Whiles Lawyer Tsikata’s comments have been deemed to be unsavory by the general public, especially coming from an astute lawyer who is supposed to jealously guard the independence and sanctity of the judiciary, some believe Mr. Pratt must equally be held responsible for his guest’s utterances because of the “baseless” and “leading” questions preceding the accusation.
But the seasoned Journalist, speaking on Metro TV’s “Good Morning Ghana” programme, rubbished assertions that he acted unprofessionally.
“…in the course of the interview, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata had made the point that the case had no merit at all and that it should have been thrown out. I then asked if that was the case, then how come that at least three judges took a position against the respondents, and voted for the petitioners. So the question was related to the validity of the case that had been filed before the Supreme Court”.
“Mr. Tsikata then went on and made the statements that have become controversial since the interview. I then asked him that if that was his position, then what about other judges who consistently voted for the respondents...where is the unfairness in this. Where is the mischief in this? I want somebody to explain to me where the mischief is?” Kwesi Pratt asked.
He bemoaned the impression being created that presenters or hosts of programs are to assume responsibility of what their guests say.
Turning to his co-panelist, the NPP’s Communications Director, the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper said “Nana Akomea has said a lot of things today. Is Randy (Abbey – host of the programme) assuming responsibility for what Nana Akomea has said? I have interviewed Nana Akomea on many occasions. Do I assume responsibility for what he said when he appeared on my program and so on? It’s very strange…exceedingly strange”.
