Montie 3 jailing will bring sanity – Edward Mahama

The 4-month jail sentence handed down to the three Montie FM contemnors by the Supreme Court of Ghana will go a long way toward sanitising the political system ahead of this year’s elections, Dr Edward Mahama, flagbearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has said.

Montie FM Presenter Salifu Maase, aka, ‘Mugabe’ and two panellists on his Pampaso political programme, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, were found guilty of contempt for threatening to kill judges of the Supreme Court.

Apart from the jail sentence, each of the three contemnors has been fined a sum of GHC10,000. The owners of the station including Mr Harry Zakkour, who is also the second vice chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress, as well as Mr Edward Addo, Ato Ahwoi, and Kwesi Kyei Atuah, have been fined GHS30,000 each. They are to pay the fine by the end of Thursday July 28 or risk a month’s jail term. The owners have also been asked by the Supreme Court to submit policy documents spelling out how to forestall similar happenings in the future. They have also been asked to ensure that none of their media outlets will be used to scandalise the court or bring it into disrepute.

But speaking in an interview with Class News’ Regina Borley Bortey, after the apex court’s sentencing, Dr Mahama said: “We are trying to build a society where there is freedom of speech. With every freedom, there are some privileges that go with it and with those privileges, responsibilities go with them.”

“I thought at the time they made the threat, it was very unfortunate. If we threatened one another and live in fear, then we are no more a free society and it was unfortunate only because they did it at an inopportune time, inappropriate time around the celebration of the Martyrs’ Day, which reminds us …of the incident that happened in the 1980s where judges including a nursing mother were murdered. So, I think it is a lesson for all of us that we should not threaten one another. Any threat should always be taken seriously. I think it is an eye-opener for other people and I think we should all be mindful when we get on those radio stations,” the five-time flagbearer said.

According to him, “this election is already charged as it is without threats, so for me, I think it is a lesson for other people to take note of and behave.” “It is one of the things that will sanitise [the system]. We all say things on radio and we must be mindful of what we say.”