Salifu Maase, popularly known as Mugabe, of Muntie FM fame has been dragged to the Supreme Court for contempt of court.
The host of late afternoon political talk show on the pro-NDC government radio station – Muntie FM – a sister radio station of Radio Gold at Laterbiokoshie in Accra, was sued along with two others for committal to contempt.
The plaintiff, one Richard Asante Yeboah, in an ex parte application for committal for contempt filed at the court, also cited Godwin Ako Gunn, 39 years old and Alistair Tairo Nelson, 41, both National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists, as second and third respondents to the suit.
Richard wants the court to convict the three for contempt following threats of death issued to Supreme Court and High Court judges on Muntie FM on June 29, 2016.
According to the lawyers of the plaintiff, it’s undoubtedly clear that the comments made by the respondents on the station were a “clear, deliberate and wilful attempt to undermine the dignity, authority and sanctity of the court.”
According to the plaintiff, the suit was a proper case where the court ought to commit the trio for contempt of court.
Affidavit
In his affidavit in support of the motion, he said on June 24 and 29 – the eve of the Martyr’s Day – the respondents participated in a programmed on Muntie FM where they threatened to kill Supreme Court and High Court judges because they were not happy with the orders of the court directing the Electoral Commission (EC) to furnish it with the full list of NHIS card holders on the voter register prior to the 2012 elections.
Mr Richard Asante Yeboah said Mugabe was heard urging on Godwin to cast aspersions on the justices of the High Court.
The affidavit further contended that Godwin personally cast serious aspersions on Justice Jones Dotse and the Chief Justice in a manner that undoubtedly sought to undermine the administration of justice and the dignity, sanctity and authority of the court.
Attack On CJ
The plaintiff averred that Mugabe further stated on tape that the Chief Justice intended to create a constitutional crisis in her bid to become the president of Ghana.
The lawyers of the plaintiff maintained that Mugabe again stated on tape that by the order so made, the court should be made to do the work of the EC.
On the part of Alistair, the plaintiff said he, having made threatening statements on the threat of death on the lives of the judges directly, referred the audience of the programme to the grievous crimes perpetrated on the three high court judges in 1982.
It said Alistair claimed to know the houses of the judges and threatened to visit mayhem on them and without regard to the office of the Chief Justice, publicly called for the seizure of her passport.
According to Mr Asante Yeboah, the respondents knew the contemptuous nature of their statements when they stated that the court could jail them and that they were ready to go to jail.
Judges Live In Fear
Meanwhile, the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) has expressed fear over the threat to murder Supreme Court judges.
According to the group, the utterances undermine the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Although the two “paddies” are currently purportedly in the grips of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) over their comments, AMJG broke its silence on the matter at a news conference in Accra yesterday.
Sir Justice Dennis Adjei, President of the association, said: “The utterances tend to put fear in the judges and magistrates of Ghana who are vested with judicial power under the Constitution.”
The judge said members of the association condemned the “uncalled-for utterances made in bad faith to undermine the administration of justice in Ghana.”
Justice Adjei noted that the judiciary as an arm of government was crucial in Ghana’s democratic dispensation and must be strengthened and jealously guarded by all and sundry.
Murdered Judges
Ironically, the comments of the two came just a day before the 34th anniversary celebration of the murder of three High Court judges and a retired army officer under the watch of the erstwhile PNDC government headed by Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings.
Prosper Bani, the Minister for the Interior, in a statement, while condemning what he described as “the rising rate of abusive and incendiary language used by some political actors,” assured that the government was taking steps to enhance the personal security of judges to enable them discharge their functions without fear or favour.
It said while the government continues to respect freedom of expression, it expects the security agencies to take firm action against persons whose utterances and actions undermine the peace, security and stability of the state.
Alistair Disowned
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Progressive People’s Party has stated that Alistair, one of the men at the centre of the controversy, is not a member of the party.
Alistair threatened to kill the judges if the Supreme Court did not leave the Electoral Commission alone.
“I have told you that if this country should collapse, those who caused it will face our wrath. We shall start from their homes.
Fortunately, God has cleared the way for us,” Alistair Nelson said, adding, “Those judges who are trying to stoke the fire, I know where all of them live. I know where the judges live in Accra, I know their quarters; I mean the Supreme Court judges.
“I also know the High Court judges. Yes, I am telling you. God has a way of… If they like they should bring on something and it will start in their residences; I am telling you, in their neighbourhoods.”
Farewell
He continued, “When we finish with them, then we shall close and come back to govern this country because they don’t have the nation at heart and we have to bid them farewell so that they go back to where they came from.
“They should sit there and think that because they are Supreme Court judges they can do what they want. They should know that the EC is insulated and Article 45 makes it very clear. You cannot do what you are doing.
“These judges we are talking about, what have been their contributions to Ghana’s development? Look at how your junior judges are taking bribes all over the place…, taking goats and GH¢100 as bribes. You senior judges, by this time all of you should have resigned because of what your juniors were doing. You are not even ashamed of yourselves.
“You can’t introduce a fight for us in this country. We are the youth and we won’t sit down for you to run down the country. You old people, you are square pegs in round holes.”
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