The decision of President John Mahama to pardon the Montie 3 has provoked a firestorm of controversy and outrage among some members of the public.
The president in a statement issued by the ministry of communications on Monday that he had remitted the sentences of the three contemnors on compassionate grounds.
“The decision of His Excellency the President to remit their sentences on compassionate grounds follows a petition submitted to him by the contemnors appealing to the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy even as they continue to express deep remorse and regret for the unacceptable statements they made against the Judiciary,†the statement said.
It comes barely a month after the Supreme Court jailed presenter Salifu Maase, aka, ‘Mugabe’, and panellists Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn four months for contempt.
The trio had reportedly threatened to kill judges who ruled that the Electoral Commission should delete the names of 53,000 NHIS cards registrants from the voters’ register.
President Mahama's decision attracted instant condemnation from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who called for the ban to be reversed immediately.
“These are individuals who were jailed legally by the courts to deal with recalcitrant behaviours and a creeping social canker that would devour this nation if not checked.
“We wish to state clearly that the NPP abhors disrespect for authority and would not associate with this action taken by the president.
Source: PrimeNewsGhana.com
'We wish to also demand that the president takes steps to reverse the decision reached as it stands to open our judiciary to attacks that would not benefit this country,†the party said in a statement signed by communications Director, Nana Akomea.
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Several legal practitioners also took to social media to register their displeasure.
The managing partner of BELA, Ace Ankomah said: “If the law cannot protect the Supreme Court Judges and their judgments, who are you and I?â€
IMANI vice-president Kofi Bentil said the development marked a sad day for Ghana.
“…no one should pretend the President is against insults and criminal libel. He has shown that he is the one fuelling the unacceptable language in our media."
Mr Bentil’s remarks were echoed by lawyer Egbert Faibille who said that the president had attacked the judiciary in the most unacceptable manner.
“I do not see any difference between what he has done and what Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah did with his sacking of three Supreme Court Judges following the acquittal of Ako Adjei, Cofie Crabbe and Tawia Adamafio after the Kulungugu Treason Trial. Justice stands bastardised,†he said.
On Social media, the hashtag #JudgesDontMatter is trending following the announcement of the pardon.
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In what marked a departure from the flurry of condemnation that has come in, a law professor, Stephen Kwaku Asare, commended the decision of the president to grant the pardon, stressing that it should have been done earlier.
“While President John Dramani Mahama’s remission of the unlawful sentence imposed on the Montie 3 comes several days later than justice requires, I fully welcome it and congratulate the President for arresting the Supreme Court’s tyranny,†he said.
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