(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On 27 July 1998, Mr. Ebenezer Ato Sam, suspended editor of the “Free Press”, was found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to a jail term of 21days in default of a 5 million cedis (about US$2,000) fine. The sentence was handed down in an Accra High Court presided over […]
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On 27 July 1998, Mr. Ebenezer Ato Sam,
suspended editor of the “Free Press”, was found guilty of contempt of court
and sentenced to a jail term of 21days in default of a 5 million cedis
(about US$2,000) fine. The sentence was handed down in an Accra High Court
presided over by Mr. Justice Owusu Sekyere.
**For background to other legal harassment of the “Free Press”, see IFEX
alerts of 30 and 28 July 1998; 23 April, and 23, 15 and 12 February 1996**
Costs of 2 million cedis (about US$870) were also awarded to the plaintiff,
Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development,
against Tommy Thompson Publications Limited, publishers of the “Free Press.”
The conviction arose from libel charges Mr. Ahwoi brought against the “Free
Press”, then-edited by Eben Quarcoo, for publishing an article which claimed
that the Minister siphoned local government funds (District Assemblies’
Common Fund) to finance his brother’s cocoa purchasing business. After a
year, the “Free Press” settled the case out of court with Mr. Ahwoi for a
total sum of 7,5 million cedis (about US$3,000), which was noted by the
Court. However, after the settlement, the “Free Press”, in soliciting the
help of readers and well-wishers to settle the agreed amount, made
statements which were said to be contemptuous of the Court and Mr. Ahwoi,
occasioning the libel.
Though Ato Sam, in this case, had the option of a fine of 5 million cedis,
he could not raise the money, thus having to serve the 21-day sentence
beginning from 28 July 1998.
