The managing editor of the Insight Newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Junior, has said that all public persons have the right to defend themselves when allegations are leveled against them. However, he said it is problematic to be referring such issues to the Criminal Investigation Department when laws on libel have been repelled.
Mr. Pratt’s comments follow General Secretary of the governing NPP, Mr. John Boadu, petitioning the CID to probe a viral video that captures excavators alleged to belong to him.
Mr. Boadu was suspected to be involved in illegal mining.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, Mr. Kwesi Pratt read a statement from Xplore Solutions claiming ownership of the said excavators, stating that, the contracting firm has nothing to do with Mr. Boadu.
“So far, I haven’t seen anything which points or confirms the fact that Mr. John Boadu is the owner of the excavators which was displayed in the video. I have also just been handed a press statement issued by Xplore Solutions which is a contracting firm and Xplore Solutions have taken responsibility for those excavators. It says the excavators belong to them and that the company has nothing to do with John Boadu”- Mr. Pratt noted.
Dilating more on the issue, Kwesi Pratt said all public persons including citizens have the right to defend themselves when allegations are made against them but doesn’t approve such persons referring the matter to the CID for investigation.
“I also think that all public persons including all citizens have the right to defend themselves when allegations are made against them. What is a big problem is the reference to the criminal investigations department of the CID,” Mr. Pratt added.
He explained that one of the arguments they made for repelling the criminal libel law was that such cases must not be criminalized.
“So, that even if you put out a statement which is injurious even to the reputation of the president, the president cannot write to the CID to take action. It can only refer to the CID for action like any other citizen when a crime has been committed,” he stated
By Ernest Tetteh Kabu | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
