(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – Ebo Quansah and Mohammed Affum, editor and deputy editor, respectively, of “The Ghanaian Chronicle”, an independent newspaper in Ghana, were fined one million cedis each (US$400) for contempt of court by an Accra High Court presided by Mr. Justice R. K. Apaloo on 18 May 1999. They have been given seven […]
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – Ebo Quansah and Mohammed Affum, editor and
deputy editor, respectively, of “The Ghanaian Chronicle”, an independent
newspaper in Ghana, were fined one million cedis each (US$400) for contempt
of court by an Accra High Court presided by Mr. Justice R. K. Apaloo on 18
May 1999.
They have been given seven days to pay the fine or will each serve a jail
term of six weeks. General Portfolios Limited, publishers of “The Ghanaian
Chronicle”, were also asked to pay a fine of two million cedis (US$800).
The applicants, Rev. Samuel K. Asare and Rev. Dr. A. Annor-Yeboah, chairman
and general secretary, respectively, of the Christ Apostolic Church, asked
the court in an ex-parte application to commit the respondents in prison for
contempt.
The case came about as a result of the Wednesday, 14 April – Thursday, 15
April edition of “The Ghanaian Chronicle”, which published an article
authored by Affum and captioned “Bribing the Police: Rev Annor-Yeboah
style”, which the applicants alleged was calculated to prejudice a case
pending before a circuit court.
In his ruling, Apaloo ordered the respondents to publish a front page
apology and retraction of the alleged contemptuous publication. They are
also to apologise to the police, judiciary and applicants in a form to be
approved by the court. Failing to do so will lead to an additional fine of
one million cedis each.
The judge said that the respondents had attacked not just the applicants but
the police service and the judiciary as well on bribery charges that were
unproven.
