General News of Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Source: classfmonline.com

Supreme Court cites Montie FM owner, panellists for contempt

The Supreme Court has cited for contempt the owner of Montie FM, its host of ‘Pampaso’, a political talk programme (Mugabe Maase) and two panellists who threatened to kill the justices of the apex court on the same radio station last week.

The court has requested the presence of the four to explain why they should not be punished for the threats issued against the judges.

Montie FM is owned by Harry Zakkour, the governing National Democratic Congress’ second national vice chairman.

The two panellists who threatened the justices on the station are Godwin Ako Gunn and Alistair Nelson.

Mr Nelson has apologised for his comments but Mr Ako Gunn insists he was never in the studios of the station on the day the threats were issued.

The court is hearing a case involving the PNC’s Abu Ramadan and one Evans Nimako, who are challenging the authenticity and comprehensiveness of a list of 56,000 NHIS voters presented to the court by the Electoral Commission last week.

The court requested the list as part of measures to have the EC expunge such voters from the register of voters.

The court had ruled two years ago that the national health insurance cards were not sufficient proof of one’s nationality and so could not be used for voter registration.

A ruling on May 5 by the apex court for such names to be removed from the register was subjected to varied and confused interpretation, necessitating the plaintiffs to return to court for clarification, upon which the court ordered the EC to supply the list. The plaintiffs and their lawyers are, however, contesting the authenticity of the list describing it as fake and fictitious.

The court ordered the plaintiffs to file their objections and provide evidence to the contrary to prove their case.