The Supreme Court is currently hearing suits by some legal practitioners praying for Montie trio rearrest. Read to get latest details…
The Supreme Court is currently deliberating on suits praying it to order the re-arrest of the the ‘Montie trio’. The suit which was filed by three legal practitioners are asking that the apex court declare as null and void, the presidential pardon granted the three Montie Fm panelists by former President John Mahama while he was in office in 2016.
The Montie Fm trio; panelists Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, and Host of the ‘Pampaso’ political show, Salifu ‘Mugabe’ Maase, issued death threats to Supreme Court judges during a radio talk show on the 29th of June, 2016. They were subsequently sentenced to a four-month imprisonment at the Nsawam Major Prisons Facility after being convicted of criminal contempt on July, 27.
However, the three were granted pardon on 22nd August, after they had served a little over three weeks in jail, by then President Mahama, following their heart-breaking appeals for leniency.
But a lot of Ghanaians who never appreciated the Mahama’s moves hurled criticisms upon criticisms at the then president for pardoning the trio. Among them are three legal practitioners who never stopped at criticisms, but went on to file suits at the apex court in September, 2016, challenging the trio’s pardon. The legal practitioners are of the opinion that there are no constitutional provisions for the president to grant pardon to the contemnors.
See: Fresh Montie 3 Suit Filed To Have Montie Trio Back In Jail
Nana Asante Bediatuo who is one of them, and currently Executive Secretary to President Nana Addo, is now seizing the opportunity of Mahama’s defeat, to push for the Montie trio rearrest. According to Asante Bediatuo, the president has the power to pardon people convicted for criminal offences but does not have same to pardon convicts of criminal contempt.
The Supreme Court started the case proceedings yesterday, Thursday January 12th. The court has granted a petition by the Attorney General’s Department to be given 7 days to file a response to the suits filed in September, 2016. After the AG’s response, the court registrar would then fix a date for the hearing of the cases.
Speaking to a Joy News correspondent after the hearing, Fosua Amagyei who is counsel for Nana Asante Bediatuo, said that if the court rules in their favour, it means the three pardoned contemnors will be sent back to prison, to complete their sentence.
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