Chris Ackumey: IGP Should Investgate Adulteration of Prez Mahama's Picture

Lawyer Chris Ackumey says the adulteration of a scandalous picture concerning President John Dramani Mahama by Omari Wadie, a former NPP Chairman of the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency is a criminal offence, and has therefore appealed to the IGP to initiate investigations into the issue. Mr. Ackumey said the NPP loyalist should face the full rigours of the law for defaming the President. According to him, it is criminal for any individual to post a scandalous item about the President in an attempt to disparage him. He explained that Section 208 of the Criminal Offences Act �purely makes provision for the investigation and prosecution of the person who makes a false publication of a person or on any issue.� He said the President�s integrity must be protected, so, the security services ensure that justice takes its course on the perpetrator. Lawyer Chris Ackumey, speaking on �Tea Cup� on Radio Gold, noted with seriousness the damage done to the reputation of the President, saying the act was meant to �disparage him, to defame him and bring his office and his sole person into disrepute, and is very criminal, very very criminal. In this case, it is not only the reputation of the President which is at stake but that of the whole Ghana. So, this is an offence committed not only against the President but against the State of Ghana because the President is the epitome of the State of Ghana�� The act, he stated, is a wake-up call on the IGP and the security services in the nation. �This is a criminal act, very very criminal. Publication of false news on a person and more especially the President of Ghana is a criminal offence�, adding his voice to calls on the security services to arrest him.