The intellectual discourse on Friday's edition of Peace FM's flagship programme, "Kokrokoo", turned dramatic when verbal utterances ensued between Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., and a member of the Communication Team of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buabeng Asamoah.
The heated shouting on top of their voices started after the NPP activist, who is also a legal practitioner, had tried to pump some sense into the money concious mind of Kwesi Pratt. About his thoughts on the drama that unfolded at the Osu Magistrate Court precincts on Thursday involving security operatives from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and the trial judge, Her Worship Justice Ellen Anokye, over the custody of three men, Daniel Djabaah, Eric Owusu Manu and Frank Bruno Pappoe arrested for narcotic-related offences.
Operatives of the BNI stormed the premises of the Osu Magistrate court in an attempt to re-arrest the three suspects standing trial for narcotic-related offences after Justice Ellen Anokye had granted them bail in the sum of GH?10,000 each with a surety.
A scuffle ensued and it degenerated as the BNI tried to re-arrest the suspects when the judge who was sitting on other cases rushed out to order them to stop the arrests in the court premises.
The BNI then unlawfully seized the mobile phone of a driver of a lawyer who was trying to film the incident and in the process, the phone was smashed while undemocratically and primitively a BMW saloon car belonging to one of the defence counsel was also damaged.
As the suspects retreated to the court premises, the BNI pursued them and in the process, one of the BNI drivers detained on the orders of the judge.
Justice Ellen Anokye prevented the BNI operatives from carrying out their intentions until Chief Justice Georgina Wood advised her to release the suspects into the custody of the police led by the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga and a team of policemen called in to maintain law and order, following the brouhaha.
Now some sense to Kwesi Pratt: - Mr. Buabeng Asamoah questioned the actions of the BNI, saying the BNI had the chance to oppose the bail granted the suspects by the court but instead chose to rather use brutal force to pave their way.
Now Kwesi Pratt listen: - To him, (YB Asamoah) the BNI unconstitutionally undermined the authority of the court by trying to re-arrest the suspects on the same offence, after they had been granted bail by the court. (This seems to be a very primitive action.)
Again to fill the mind of Kwesi Pratt:- "If you think the court was wrong in granting bail, you do not take the law into your own hands. You undermine the court's authority. If you think the court made a mistake in law by granting bail, you take steps within the bounds of the law to challenge that decision,he said".
A very Important point for the money crazy Pratt:- YB Asamoah further argued that if the BNI believed it had fresh evidence against the suspects, they should have gone to court and introduced it through due process. He maintained that even though suspects in drug-related offences and cases of murder are not liable to bail, a judge can grant bail if the charges levelled against the suspects are not substantial enough.
An authority, to decide the court is wrong and therefore take the law into your own hands means you are teaching the court the law, that is unacceptable,? he added. But the Insight Managing Editor, Kwesi Pratt, who can only understand baseless argument for the sake of money, sharply disagreed with Mr. Buabeng's analysis, questioning his status as a lawyer.
According to Mr. Pratt, it is inconceivable for someone who sees himself as a lawyer to advance such arguments, adding that even a first year law student knows that suspects in drug-related cases are not liable to bail terms. You see now! Pratt can only understand what he wants to understand, even though it has been vividly explained to him that despite the fact that it is not the normal procedure a judge can grant bail if the charges levelled against the suspects are not substantial enough. Kwesi Pratt will not get it because he has to make big mouth for money.
Now listen to Kwesi Pratt with his class one argument.- ?Don't you know that there are certain offences when you commit, you cannot be granted bail even when investigations have not been completed? I guess as a lawyer you know that, so under what circumstance can you put forward such an argument that there was no prima facie? I don't expect a lawyer to talk like the way you just did,? he said.
But Kwesi Pratt, since you have zero idea in law, let me help you here, "In some cases yes! criminals are not given bail but not all cases, OK!.
However, YB, as the NPP stalwart was at that juncture affectionately called, and did not take kindly to Mr Pratt's comment and insisted that he (Pratt) withdraws that particular phrase which he claims sought to question his integrity as a lawyer.
?YB, Yes indeed, I am a lawyer? I've fourteen years standing at the Bar (Ghana Bar Association) so you don't have to use the phrase ?supposed to be?. It appears you are questioning my integrity as a lawyer so better withdraw your statement. I never said there was no prima facie besides I have not gone into the merits of the case. All what I said was that the suspects were with the BNI even after been granted bail so the BNI could have gone to court to appeal the bail than use force. You are accusing me of things I have not said and you are questioning my integrity as a lawyer. I am a lawyer...I won't take that from you,? he retorted.
You see! as known to most Ghanaian people, such blind uncalled for argument and cheap popularity which Kwesi Pratt makes to blindfold both his paymasters and some members of the public shows clearly that Kwesi Pratt has only one main aim for jumping from Radio station to Radio station just to let his vioce be heard, and that is MONEY but nothing else.
That is the most reason why I opine, this Kwesi Pratt guy, a typical stomach journalist has never ever through his so-called journalism contributed any good to the entire Ghanaian citizens. He is being joy stick and remote-controlled to politically proper-gate only because of Money. He will talk any weed for the sake of Dollars.
FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg - Germany)
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