Accra: Convicted Montie FM braggarts awaits fate on 27th July 2016

Alistair Tairo Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and host of the Accra-based Montie FM station, Salifu Maase, alias Mugabe, who have been convicted by the Supreme Court face up to six months in jail, a lawyer has said. They would know their fate on 27th July 2016 when the court reconvenes. Directors of the station which is a subsidiary of Network Broadcasting Limited would also know their fate on that day as well.

The panelists and host were found guilty of contempt of court, scandalising the court and defying the authority of the court and bringing it into disrepute. They were also given self-recognizance bail. Two of the contemnors, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn said they were liable with much regret, but Mugabe said he was liable with a brief explanation, however, none of their pleas at the court were taken.

Prior to the adjournment of the case, Nana Ato Dadzie, who was one of the lawyers in the case, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy. The court after the plea adjourned the case to July 27th, 2016 where their sentencing would be read.

A lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang commenting on this on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ Tuesday said that the convicted persons face up to three months in jail. “All of them accepted they are guilty, and there is minimum and maximum sentence to be applied… they can face up to at least up to six months…,” he said.

On the decision of the Supreme Court to defer their sentencing to another day, Lawyer Opoku-Agyemang said that is never new. “It’s never new for you to be asked to go and come later for sentencing… what is important is that they have been convicted…,” he added.

The psychological trauma the two might be going through between the day of their conviction and sentencing, he said is part of the punishment for them. “There would be several sleepless nights in the times in between…in fact, it’s a torture because you do not know what would happen to you… you can’t sleep and would even shrink in size… they would have wished they were sentenced even yesterday…,” he added.

Background Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, who were panellists on ‘Pampaso’, a political programme on Montie FM in Accra on June 29, warned judges of Ghana’s highest court to be wary of their conduct in the case involving the Electoral Commission and Mr Abu Ramadan, if they did not want to suffer the fate of the three members of the bench who were shot to death and burnt on June 30, 1982, in the era of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).