Supporters of the two radio panelists who threatened to kill judges of Ghana’s apex court have been prevented from entering the premises of the Supreme Court where the two and others are due for sentencing Wednesday morning.
Heavily armed police personnel and Military Police officers have mounted blocks at the various entrances to the Supreme Court premises located along the J.E. Atta-Mills High Street in Accra Central, Onua FM’s Omari Acheampong reports.
The military police officers have also brought to the premises what appears to be sniffing dogs.
People are thoroughly searched and made to show prove that they have cases in the Supreme Court or the High Courts in the same compound before they are allowed entry into the premises, our correspondent reports.
Those who have cases at the Supreme Court are again searched before they are allowed entry into the courtroom. Mobile phones of and electronic gadgets of journalists are also taken from them by the security before they are allowed inside the courtroom.
Godwin Ako Gunn and Alistair Nelson (both radio panellists), together with radio host Salifu Maase were convicted on July 18 by the Supreme Court after they were found guilty of contempt for threatening to kill the Supreme Court judges during a political talkshow on an Accra-based Montie FM.
The court fixed Wednesday July 27 to give its sentence after the three as well as the owners of the radio station were summoned to show cause why they should not be imprisoned for contempt of court.
Although the contemnors pleaded with the court for their unfortunate statements and actions,the court went ahead to convict them and adjourned proceedings to (today) Wednesday to hand down its sentence.
Alistair Nelson in his plea for mercy blamed his comments on a disease he called ‘kpokpogbligbli’ while Maase Salifu, popularly known as Mugabe, apologized for his comments, adding that his producer fell ill on the fateful day the incident happened hence there was no one to hold him in check.
Owners of the station, Harry Zakour, Edward Addo, Kwasi Attuah and Kwaky Bram Larbi who were in court, after they failed to appear on July 12, pleaded for mercy and said the act was regretful.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3news.com|Ghana
