If you can’t do the time, don’t commit the crime

It is a well-established fact that when you flagrantly abuse your rights by committing a crime, you will surely be made to face the consequences when caught.

Therefore, it is said, “If you can’t do the time, don’t commit the crime”. This means if you are scared to be punished with imprisonment, then do not commit the crime in the first place.

The infamous “Montie 3” - Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, Alistair Nelson, and Godwin Ako Gunn, audaciously, but criminally went on air to broadcast their disrespect for the apex Court of Ghana; threatening to kill some Supreme Court Judges, arrange for one notorious criminal in Accra called “Nash” to forcibly marry the Chief Justice Mrs Theodora Georgina Wood if the Supreme Court dared make any unfavourable ruling on a pending case against the defendant.

The Supreme Court was sitting on a case involving Messrs Abu Ramadan and Nimoako vs Electoral Commission on the EC’s seeming insistence on maintaining the names of all those registered onto the electoral roll using NHIS card as their national identification document with the plaintiffs (Messrs Ramadan and Nimoako) objecting to the EC’s view.

The Montie trio with Mugabe as the radio programme “Pampaso” host, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn as panellists, all three being strong NDC fanatics and were supportive of the EC’s stance, were highly infuriated when they could foresee the Court’s ruling going in favour of the plaintiffs in the case but not the defendant, the EC, hence their peremptory but completely absurd warning and threats issued to the Supreme Court.

The trio thought because they are friends with President Mahama and the top hierarchy of the NDC, and have always been lambasting and insulting some political parties and certain personalities with impunity, as part of their work for the NDC, they could step on every toe. Unfortunately for them, they stepped on a far mightier toe than they could handle. These three irresponsible fellows bit more than they could chew.

While Alistair Nelson was remorseful as soon as he became aware of the Supreme Court’s readiness to show them where power lies, Godwin Ako Gunn was denying that he had spoken ill about the court and the Justices.

However, Salifu Maase, as uncivilized and uncouth as he is, still went on air bragging and inciting the NDC faithful and members of his northern extraction to rise up against the Supreme Court.

Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, thought he was untouchable until now. Little did he know that there is so much nonsense or committal of crime that one can get away with until they are stopped in their tracks? Being an unwitty person, he has made a noose of the long rope thrown to him to hang himself.

The Montie trio are now petitioning President Mahama to fall on his prerogative of mercy by invoking Article 72 of the 1992 Ghana Republican Constitution to pardon them. They now expect their friend and probably secret employer to have compassion on them.

I am reiterating what I had said previously, I dare President Mahama to invoke Article 72 to pardon these loud-mouthed yobbos and criminals if he has two hard balls dangling in-between his legs to grant the wish of damned criminals.

It is about time we stopped the nonsensical fondness for behaving irresponsibly by certain NDC faithful who think they hold Ghana in their palm like a delicate egg that they can crush at volition.

Salifu Maase and his colleagues in crime are saying their 4-month jail term and their collective fine of GHC30, 000 is too severe hence their appeal to President Mahama to set them free by invoking Article 72. Indeed, small boys are young.

Do they know the adverse implications to, or the impact their obnoxious request to President Mahama will have on him, on the Ghana judiciary and on the entire country should he grant it?

Finally, it is a shame on all those government Ministers/Deputy Ministers and politicians and other personalities like Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe, the NDC mole within, but suspended from, the NPP, who appended their signatures to the petition to free the Montie trio.

All those who signed the petition do not understand the seriousness of the stupid on-air action of bravado taken by the trio, and the supremacy of the Supreme Court in maintaining law and order in the country.

Are the signatories aware that by their mischievous and childish action they are weakening the Supreme Court hence unknowingly bringing about breakdown of law in the country? Are they also aware that any ordinary judge can cause the arrest of a President of a nation if the President commits any serious crime against his/her country?

The Supreme Court has the absolute right to cause the imprisonment of a President of a nation if the President was found to have committed a serious crime against the State, his constitutional immunity notwithstanding.

If you play with fire, fire will burn you! This is the present situation of the Montie trio. They thought they could play with fire without getting singed.

They should have been sentenced to more months in imprison than the four they are complaining bitterly about. There are some people who have been incarcerated for years and others serving life sentences. They are happily coping with their situation without complaining.

These three yobbos have barely started a four-month jail term and they are weeping tears of crimson – “naniema kalenkalen”. Now, the trio have realised that “khaki no be leather”, as a Nigerian would say.