General News of Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Source: peacefmonline.com

Judicial Service hiding behind Akufo-Addo to reintroduce criminal libel law - Asiedu Nketia

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, NDC

General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has condemned the letter written by the lawyers for the Ghana Judicial Service to all media houses.

Lawyers for the Ghana Judicial Service says it is "unacceptable" for media houses to "publish on your platforms, speeches and statements and publications which excite anger, hate and passion against the Justices presiding over the election petition".

A statement addressed to all media houses in the country, indicated that such "statements and speeches interfere with the due administration of justice as Justices of our client are threatened with ominous consequences following their decisions which do not meet the expectations of some members of the society".

Speaking to this on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the NDC Chief Scribe said it is ironic that the Judicial Service is attempting to reintroduce the criminal libel law which was challenged and abolished by the erstwhile Kuffour administration, under the tenure of President Akufo-Addo, who was the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

“Now, the same Nana Akufo-Addo who fought against the criminal libel law to be abolished is President; we should be happy but rather it iis under his tenure as President that a certain institution wants to hide behind him to reintroduce criminal libel law through the back door. It is not right”

“What the NDC is saying is that Ghana Judicial Service has no right to write that letter and if we allow this creeping behaviour to remain then we will be destroying the roots of our democracy gradually which will collapse one day when we least expect it. This is the reason why the NDC has come out strongly to condemn the letter written by the Judicial Service”, he indicated.