Supreme Court nominee, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, has declared that he will not endorse the suppression of investigative journalism, even as part of efforts to protect the judiciary.
Over the years, some investigative journalists have encountered obstacles in their work, including injunctions on publications and denial of Right to Information (RTI) requests.
However, Justice Dzamefe has said he will not have any problem with an investigative journalist whose work is done thoroughly and is based on truth.
He made these remarks when he appeared before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, June 16, 2025.
“Generally, I wouldn’t recommend repression. Any investigative journalist who wants to do a thorough job, once it’s true, why would I recommend suppression? Once it’s fair, fine,” he stated.
Responding to questions about balancing judicial reputation with media freedom and public accountability, the nominee underscored the judiciary’s inability to silence the press, provided journalists act within ethical and factual boundaries.
“We can’t gag the press so far as they do a good job and they don’t misinform us. We don’t have any authority to gag them. The only guideline is that make sure what you report on is the truth. The press can come to report on cases or come to do anything with the judiciary. We don’t have the power to stop them,” he explained. “Just make sure that what you are reporting on is the truth and it’s fair.”