Editor of the Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam has posited that the Ghanaian media has been circumspect in their reportage of the 2020 election petition as a result of the learnings from the 2012 election petition.
He shared this opinion in an interview with Samuel Eshun on e.TV Ghana’s ‘Fact Sheet’ show aired every Tuesdays.
“Those creamy headlines from the 2012 petition are no more. Meaning that we are learning from our mistakes. I mean who wants to be cited for contempt of court. The media so far have been up with their reportage. The media has been guided by what happened in the past. I don’t think they have failed. They are reporting what is transpiring in court”, he stated.
Andy however noted if any finger of blame should be pointed, it should be pointed at lawyers who “run their mouths” in their commentaries after court proceedings.
“It is rather after these engagements or proceedings that the media gives the opportunity to lawyers that they [lawyers] run their mouth. They run commentaries and that is where the problem is. The media will call lawyers to throw light on the proceedings just to educate the people but when the lawyer runs his mouth that is not your problem. The only thing you can do is to distance yourself from what he is saying.
I salute the media and I am happy the media is not taking sides in this matter. We have learnt from the past”, he added.
In July 2013, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, Ken Kuranchie, was sentenced to 10 days in jail for criminal contempt of the court during the 2012 election petition hearing.
The paper’s editorials, namely “Can We Comment on Decisions of the Supreme Court Hearing or Not” and “Is There Justice In The Land?” discussed the court’s handling of a challenge by the opposition party to the results of the December 2012 presidential elections.
On July 11, 2013, Ken Kuranchie was released and he subsequently rendered a public apology for his articles.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
