In accordance with the Article 72 of the 1992 constitution, the President John Dramani Mahama has granted a remission of sentence to the Montie 3 that is Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase alias `Mugabe’.

We are told that it was based on the advice of the Council of State so due process has been followed because after the petition was sent to The Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, he presented it to the Council of State. Thus the president acting on the advice of the council of state has remitted their sentence. In the statement that was released it stated “the president takes this opportunity to remind all Ghanaians of the need to respect the institutions of state and exercise freedom of speech responsibly mindful of the need to preserve peace and national unity.” Was this not the same thing the Supreme Court sought to achieve with that particular sentence? Was this same thing not captured in the Supreme Court ruling? So the court takes a decision and says this is to serve as a deterrent to others so that we could all make speeches and exercise our freedom of speech responsibly and here we are today hearing the people have been released.

Doesn’t this amount to a slap on the face of the Judiciary? Can we also say that anybody can make any statement and based on a petition the person is granted remission? What signal would this be sending?

We need to make decisions that posterity will judge us and say this was indeed a good decision. I hold nothing against these gentlemen but it is worrying when we set this precedent. The question is what is it with our politicians? Fourteen years ago it was the condemnation of a decision to appoint an additional Supreme Court judge here we are today the court takes a decision to serve as a deterrent to others and we have released those people when that was supposed to be a lesson for all of us especially those in the media.

By Winston Amoah

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