Ghana's Supreme Court jails local radio host, panelists four months for contempt

Ghana's Supreme Court (SC) Wednesday jailed a local FM radio host and two panelists four months for contempt and threats to kill judges of the apex court.

They were additionally each fined 1,000 Ghana Cedis (263.16 U.S. dollars).

The panelists, Godwin Ako Gunn and Alistair Nelson, and show host of Montie FM radio, Salifu Masse as well as owners of the station were also found guilty of scandalizing the court and bringing it into disrepute.

The court slapped 30,000 Cedis (7,894.7 dollars) fine on the owner of the station, Harry Zakkour, and was given a day to pay up.

Presiding judge Sophia Akuffo, while accusing the guests or panelists of attacking judges with such recklessness, stated that the directors were irresponsible and careless because they were to direct the broad vision of the station.

Early this month, the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, had referred to the Supreme Court (SC)'s summon of the Montie FM host and panelists over alleged murder of judges comment as an avoidable act.

Braimah, who was speaking on private radio, Adom FM, over the comments of the jailed panelists, said if management of the station had heeded MFWA's repeated warning of abusive language on its airwaves, the brash with the apex court would not have occurred.

"If they had listened to our warning and management had taken drastic measures to deal with such presenters I'm not sure they will end up here," Braimah said.

The MFWA has expressed worry about growing insults and irresponsible comments of radio hosts and panelists during early morning discussion programs. Endit