Affail Monney
THE GHANA Journalists’ Association (GJA) – the umbrella body of professional journalists in the country – has condemned magistrate Arit Nsemoh, who sacked journalists from her court on Thursday, June 15, and asked her to offer an unqualified apology to the said journalists.
GJA made the call in a statement signed by its President, Affail Monney, describing the magistrate’s action as “gross disrespect to the press corps in her open court.”
The magistrate, during the trial of the two suspects – Daniel Asiedu aka Sexy Don Don and Vincent Bosso aka Junior Agogo – who have been accused of killing former Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region, JB Danquah-Adu, ordered police officers stationed in the courtroom to prevent all journalists from entering to cover the proceedings.
Ms Arit Nsemoh is reported to have yelled at the newsmen, “No journalist is allowed in my court.”
She also asked newsmen standing at the entrance of the court to leave the premises.
In the statement, Mr Monney indicated that the magistrate said she ordered only a cameraman who was allegedly taking shots without permission at the court entrance, to leave the premises and that she never issued a blanket quit order to all the reporters.
However, the GJA said her account contradicted that of journalists who were at the court and quoted the magistrate as saying she did not want any journalist in her court.
The statement added, “The GJA considers this action indiscreet, reprehensible and an affront to media freedom.
“The JB Danquah-Adu murder trial is of a huge national and international interest, given the tragic circumstances under which the young MP was killed, hence to deny journalists access to open court is to deprive the public in general and the bereaved family in particular, the sovereign right to be informed about the proceedings to dispense justice in the case.
“We demand an apology from the Judicial Service and a full assurance that reporters will no more experience any unnecessary hindrance and indignity in the coverage of the case,” it said.
“Meanwhile, the GJA commends the Judicial Press Corps for their tolerance and patriotic decision not to boycott the case. May their high sense of duty and social responsibility continue to be in glow until justice is done,” it added
The court adjourned the case to June 29.
BY Melvin Tarlue