Appiah Stadium with his NDC supporters after his release Tuesday evening
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has discharged unconditionally Frank Kwaku Appiah, popularly known as Appiah Stadium, an ardent supporter of ex-President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) serial caller.
He was arrested a few days ago for insulting President Akufo-Addo.
Appiah Stadium, a one-time security man at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, was released Tuesday evening after the president had officially informed the police administration that he was not interested in the matter.
The Minister of Information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, issued a statement Tuesday evening after the arrest of Appiah Stadium, convening the president’s concern.
According to the statement, the attention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who had just returned from the UN General Assembly meeting the previous day, was drawn to the arrest of Appiah Stadium for spreading lies about him (the president).
Mr Abdul-Hamid said the president had stated that he was not interested in pursuing the matter since same was ruled upon by the National Media Commission (NMC) in February 2015 after pro-NDC newspapers had published similar allegations about him.
“Lawyers for the then candidate, Akufo-Addo, took these newspapers namely, The Al-Hajj, Enquirer, Informer, Ghanaian Lens and Daily Post, to the NMC to afford them the opportunity to substantiate their claims.”
The Minister of Information noted that editors of the aforementioned newspapers failed to do so following which the NMC asked them to retract the story and apologize.
Abdul-Hamid averred that the president was therefore convinced that right-thinking Ghanaians recognize that Appiah Stadium is merely reciting from an NDC propaganda book, which has since been discredited.
Appiah Stadium was captured in an audio recording circulating on social media, pouring sickening invectives on President Akufo-Addo while the latter was in the United States.
The popular serial caller tagged the president a “wee smoker” and later likened him to a “monkey.”
Appiah Stadium was believed to have sent the recorded verbal abuse to some NDC platforms which was allegedly later leaked by his own group members – where it had since gone viral.
But checks at the Criminal Investigation Department have revealed that the initial charges of false publication likely to cause breach of peace and misdemeanor were leveled against him, but both charges have been dropped.
The Director General in-charge of the Public Affairs Directorate, ACP David Eklu, confirmed to DAILY GUIDE that the charges against Appiah Stadium had been dropped.
“He was picked up after police attention was drawn to the circulating audio alleged to have come from Appiah Stadium but since the president has stated that he is not interested in the matter, we will also drop the charges and set him free,” the police officer stated.
Appiah Stadium was arrested Tuesday morning in his house in Kumasi when plain-clothed policemen stormed the place, handcuffed him and sent him to the police station to substantiate his allegation.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
(lindatenyah@gmail.com)