Live program ordered cut on Radio GAR
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On 12 March 1998, a popular radio program on Radio GAR was ordered cut in the middle of an interview with a Ghanaian tax consultant, Mr. Nartey, who was speaking very critically of the proposed implementation of a new Value Added Tax regime for Ghana. It is not immediately clear who […]
Editor called in for questioning
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – On 19 January 1998, Kweku Baako Jr., editor of “The Guide”, a national weekly based in Accra, was called to the headquarters of the Police CID Flying Squad for questioning in connection with a letter printed in the 13-19 November 1997 issue of the newspaper. The letter, written by one Bayitsey […]
Member of Parliament sues journalists for libel
(Free Expression Ghana/IFEX) – Member of Parliament Franklin Aheto has sued Kweku Baako Jr., editor-in-chief of the newspaper “The Guide”, and Ian Mortey, a reporter for the paper, for publishing libelous statements against him in the 16-22 October 1997 edition of the “The Guide”. Aheto asked the Accra High Court to restrain Baako Jr., Mortey, […]
Three journalists and distributor charged with libel
(WAJA/IFEX) – Kwesi Biney, a journalist with the “African Observer” news magazine, was charged, together with journalist Gordon George-Iroro, editor and publisher Steve Mallory, and Frank Awuah, the distributor of the “African Observer” in Ghana, with intentional libel. They were said to have acted together in September 1997 with a common purpose to publish, unlawfully, […]
Journalists under investigation
(CPJ/IFEX)- On 1 October 1997, Kwesi Biney, a correspondent for the “African Observer”, received a call from the economic crime bureau of Accra police asking him to report to the Criminal Investigation Department the following day. Biney, who was accompanied to the meeting by “African Observer” circulation manager Frank Awuah, was informed that he was […]
Judge bans media coverage of court case
Following the 9 August 1996 conviction of Cofie Ammuako-Annan, acting editor of the newspaper “The Ghanaian Chronicle”, for contempt of court, the high court judge ruled that no reporting of the proceedings would be allowed, either of the conviction of Ammuako-Annan or of the judgement in a murder trial that the paper had commented on. […]
“The Free Press” publisher and editor arrested
**For background to other legal harassment of “The Free Press”, see IFEX alerts dated 23, 15 and 12 February 1996** On 17 April 1996, editor of the weekly “The Free Press”, Eben Quarcoo, and the newspaper’s publisher, Tommy Thompson, were arrested and released on 10 million cedis (US$ 6,700) bail each “for publishing falsehood likely […]
“Free Press” journalists fined and sentenced to jail; publishing company fined
Two journalists from the weekly “The Free Press” were sentenced to jail by the Supreme Court on 21 February 1995. Kwabena Mensah- Bonsu, a columnist for the weekly, was sentenced to one month in prison. “Free Press” editor-in-chief Eben Quarcoo was sentenced to one day in jail and fined 100 000 cedis (equivalent to 550FF […]