Go To COURT If You Think You've A Case! Ayariga & Dafeamekpor Sļám NPP MPs For Ṭhṛeaṭening Judges

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Yesterday, I saw on social media a report about uh a branch organizer of the NDC who made similar statements under the NPP government and was prosecuted, convicted, and I think he's still in uh He's He's He's appealed. He was convicted.

[00:00:23]No, he was convicted under the NPP regime.

[00:00:26]He was convicted for making similar uh statements, the same charges under the same provisions.

[00:00:34]So, the key thing is to fight your case in the lower courts.

[00:00:42]If they arrest you and say you've made false publication.

[00:01:37]We are not in Banana Republic.

[00:01:43]There are rules and regulations. Abide by laws.

[00:02:06]>> Yesterday I saw on social media a report about uh a branch organizer of the NDC who made similar statements under the NPP government and was prosecuted, convicted, and I think he's still in Yeah, he's appeal pending. He's He's He's appealed. He was convicted.

[00:02:29]No, he was convicted under the NPP regime.

[00:02:32]He was convicted for making similar uh statements, the same charges under the same provisions.

[00:02:40]So, the key thing is to fight your case in the lower courts.

[00:02:48]If they arrest you and say you've made false publication, go and prove that you didn't make a false publication. Why do you make it a political issue, NDC versus NPP? Is it because you're an NPP member?

[00:03:01]Are you getting the situation? Why do you make it an NDC NPP matter?

[00:03:05]They say you have made a false statement. When they say you have stolen, do you say that because you're an NPP member, we should make it an NDC NPP matter? You don't do that.

[00:03:15]So, the issue is you've made a statement, the police say that it's a false publication. Go and show that it's not a false publication.

[00:03:22]You've made a statement, they say it is not conducive to the public peace. Go and show that it is conducive to the public peace.

[00:03:29]That's all.

[00:03:30]If you go and show which court will convict you?

[00:03:37]Leader, I think Mama Battle now address you now. Thank you very much. Um for want of time, I would like to state some few issues.

[00:03:49]The issue concerning the raising of quorum and all that.

[00:03:53]I think uh I'm surprised that the majority is coming out this thick way to indicate that people just want attention. If it's so, then it rightly relates to the majority to when they were in the minority. But that is not the issue.

[00:04:12]>> I mean, we used to we used to raise it to to get attention. I mean, so that all of us are guilty.

[00:04:18]You see how he's trying to So you realize that when the table's turned, that their actions are very different, and that their understanding of the issues are different. Uh there are two questions on the floor on the uh Abronye case, and then the issue about criminal court. I have my lawyer here with me.

[00:04:41]And with your permission, uh he has been handling the Abronye case. So he'll give you the details of what has actually transpired. Thank you. I'm I'm happy the majority leader, the majority chief we brought here. And they are very solid solid lawyers. One from my ward, and one from uh Ghana Mokola.

[00:05:03]We're all from Ghana Mokola.

[00:05:04]>> [clears throat] >> Yeah.

[00:05:06]Yeah, but against the backdrop of the uh flowing from the question from the channel one uh correspondent, you you want to find out with the list we have whether or whether or not 207 and 208 are not being abused.

[00:05:25]I mean, it's clear. Everybody's aware.

[00:05:28]They are They are We've gone beyond abuse.

[00:05:31]We are now under the instructions of the president, who once said that they they have the IP addresses of everybody. And so when you make some statements, you become you'll be sought after. If somebody publishes "Dumsor is back," ask yourself, truly and genuinely, how is that the basis for the person to be picked up?

[00:05:53]Well, that is why that is why that is why we want you to understand that we are not taking judicial notice of what this government is doing with free speech. And and especially for you media practitioners because you see, they are not just gagging NPP gradually, they are gagging all of you.

[00:06:12]And if I show you the list, it's unending. It started with It started with Kwame in team four Joe, Paul Adom Otchere, Daniel Adu Mako, say Obama.

[00:06:22]Mohammed Zakaria, Yaya Abu, Fanti Comedy, Mr. Agyenim Boateng, Okatakyie Afrifa Kofi Annan, Alfred Ababio Adinkra Kumi, whose wife actually lost a child just because of this harassment. Godwin Asare Bediako, Abubakar Yakubu, David Asando, all of this and and more. You ask yourself, what is the basis for the arrest? Because somebody published that oh, there's somebody in a gay dress.

[00:06:53]And that is the basis for you to arrest.

[00:06:55]How does that amount to insult?

[00:06:58]What have we not said and heard?

[00:07:01]And assuming that this is the trajectory we want to go through, then it means that you media practitioners should be up and doing because it will come to you.

[00:07:13]And the majority leader who is the lawyer should know.

[00:07:19]The they need to you need to understand that if care is not taken, you will not be the harassment institutions have been weaponized to just do this. How do you a misdemeanor offense? How do you keep somebody and say that oh, I'm I'm going to wait till the matter is fully determined. And when we get the order, the order comes in a different form. And the day that you even gave for them to in the order for them to even reappear before court is likely to be a holiday. 27th will be a holiday. 28th will be a holiday.

[00:07:54]And a certain particular court is becoming notorious, which is the circuit court nine.

[00:07:59]So, if we are not taking care of these things, and they they go into a different element, people will not sit down and watch forever.

[00:08:10]You should not allow this galamsey to go on forever. The intimidation and harassment, and it's always one-sided.

[00:08:16]I'm just hearing majority leader saying that to somebody. It's all cooked. That is part of the scam. It's part of the fact that the government is largely incompetent. They are not performing.

[00:08:26]They don't want any form of criticisms.

[00:08:29]The moment criticisms are are started, then they come after you just to study our diversionary tactics. What are we saying? We are saying that galamsey is is for gold board. We are saying that there's every part of Ghana where we see is galamsey. And who is the aggregator?

[00:08:45]He's gold board.

[00:08:47]Who is buying gold from Ghana? He's gold board. So, where galamsey is on, you have not been able to pay cocoa farmers.

[00:08:53]Just yesterday, I saw a video of president saying "Shall that we are going to pay those who the banks that had been closed down or shut down, we are going to pay the depositors their money." Now, the Minister of Finance comes to give you a different version of that conversation. He says we are not going to pay anything. He doesn't see the sense in making payments to these people. Now, somebody goes to talk about this, wait, the person will be picked up.

[00:09:18]And this is the kind of scam we are seeing. Youth unemployment in Greater Accra alone is more than 50%. Meanwhile, we've been told about 133, and it's still 111.

[00:09:28]And then you come and tell us that MP is doing something. What are they doing? We already see fuel stations already working sometimes beyond 12 hours and 18 hours. So, please our prayer really is that as media practitioners, don't be observing table manners too quickly.

[00:09:46]Don't be present at the table and be observing table manners. So, when you're observing table manners, you don't talk when you have to talk. You need to talk when you have to talk.

[00:09:55]All the infringements, the violations on these basic human rights, you need to be talking about them because it will come to you. Thank you very much.

[00:10:07]Let me add to by way of response to the current matters arising.

[00:10:16]You see, my brother Saed hinted at certain things.

[00:10:22]And in the manner that you hinted them is what will land you into trouble.

[00:10:26]Nobody says, "Don't criticize government constructively."

[00:10:31]But if you say things emphatically that are inaccurate, that is not an insult. Nobody says Nobody's being arrested for insults.

[00:10:42]The business for the arrest is that in law, whatever you have said amounts to false publication.

[00:10:53]That is the law.

[00:10:55]It's not the insult.

[00:10:57]False publication is a provision in our criminal statute.

[00:11:03]If you breach it, the prosecutors will come after you if they are minded.

[00:11:10]That's one.

[00:11:12]Now, he read a litany of names.

[00:11:17]When the honorable In-Tiyum Forjour said certain things against myself and the honorable attorney general, me I have sued him.

[00:11:25]Me I'm not a policeman.

[00:11:28]Going after him by prosecuting him. I have sued him.

[00:11:32]And the matter is is in court. We are going through the motions.

[00:11:39]The civil remedy available to me.

[00:11:43]Now, if the police are minded to come after you respect of order.

[00:11:50]All means.

[00:11:52]We must not say that because we belong to a political party.

[00:11:55]We must must go and and go and engage in committing acts as if under the cloak of a political party I should not be touched.

[00:12:05]You will be touched. You'll be asked to answer questions.

[00:12:09]Now, now the other question is is that he makes the point about Abronia.

[00:12:19]And he knows because Jerry and I are contemporaries. I was just a year ahead of him.

[00:12:26]And he knows about the famous baseball.

[00:12:33]And he had things in court. That is not the certified true proceedings of the court.

[00:12:40]So, as lawyers and law students, you always advise that before you go to town on matters that [clears throat] that that happen in court, always be certain that you have the certified true proceedings of what the court has said.

[00:12:57]Now, they went out to say that the court said Abronia is being held in custody until the trial was ended.

[00:13:07]The certified true proceedings of the court came and and then it it emerged that the court said the accused person was being held in custody until the next adjourned date.

[00:13:18]That two material differences.

[00:13:21]And yet they haven't varied their their stance since then.

[00:13:25]They are rather insinuating.

[00:13:28]You know what happened.

[00:13:33]That somebody also came out. The film was meant to be on the same trajectory.

[00:13:39]It took them It took the the certified true copy of the court to establish that there was and we are always being admonished not to >> [music] >> do that.

[00:13:49]I'm sorry.

[00:13:51]Who do that?

[00:13:57]So the court came out, who would have been guided?

[00:14:01]So as the That when the issues come up, when the questions are you must asked Are you saying because of politics when when a crime is committed, we must close our eyes?

[00:14:19]No.

[00:14:21]Because we are a society of rules and laws.

[00:14:25]Without rules and laws or without laws and rules, we will descend to a state of anarchy.

[00:14:32]As for insults, people can insult. When they are aggrieved, they may have recourse to other remediable steps.

[00:14:39]But when you breach a law, those who are lamenters will come after you.

[00:14:44]So I believe that on this note, we may have to bring today's proceedings to an end.

[00:14:50]I thank you very much.

[00:14:52]>> [music] >> Thank you very much.

[00:14:54]Listen to the listen bills that the government is expecting to introduce into the parliament for this meeting.

[00:15:04]I want to find out from you uh free secondary education bill with free SHS bill.

[00:15:14]Yes.

[00:15:22]All right, thank you very much.

[00:15:25]>> [music] >> So, I think leadership will respond now.

[00:15:30]Yeah, thank you.

[00:15:31]Um Well, it's up for public discussion.

[00:15:39]Whether we want a country where anybody can just get up and say that journalists met with the majority leader and they shared 2 million Ghana cedis so that they can report, you know, in favor of government.

[00:15:57]And that all the parliamentary press corps have been corrupted and they take money and that, you know, they don't do their work. They cover up whatever is happening in Parliament.

[00:16:11]Do you like to live in that environment?

[00:16:14]>> [laughter] >> You know, false publication.

[00:16:18]Yes.

[00:16:20]The response that, "Oh, so you go and correct it."

[00:16:27]I should go and correct it.

[00:16:29]You are in the media. Is it possible that when you publish something falsely about me, deliberately, knowing very well it's not true, even if I attempt to go and correct it, that all the people who heard you when you were saying it, that the same people will hear me when I was saying it?

[00:16:47]Is it possible?

[00:16:50]So, that is the issue that we should discuss as a nation.

[00:16:59]We're here representing you members of Parliament.

[00:17:03]If you give an indication that that's the kind of society that you want, we don't have any other thing to do than to pass the kind of legislation that you want as a society. So, we're not thinking for the society. No, we pick signals from the society as to what they want.

[00:17:21]And then we consider it as members of parliament. We debate it and then we approve whatever it is that you want.

[00:17:33]Do you want people to keep saying things on radio and publishing things that can lead to a breach of the peace?

[00:17:46]Okay?

[00:17:48]Can somebody just get up and do a video that says all guys should suck all non-guys who are in Accra cuz they've taken over their lands?

[00:18:01]Are you getting the situation?

[00:18:02]You know, do you know the implications of that kind of statement?

[00:18:08]Some societies have experienced genocide, have experienced civil wars because people just use their media platforms to say things on the basis of bias.

[00:18:27]That's when you the one alleging bias, you are being asked to actually bring the evidence of the bias which you are claiming.

[00:18:39]Okay?

[00:18:40]It was raised in Parliament, Attorney General, you know, as an objection. And so, those are the instances when, you know, that applies. But, the criminal code is simply talking about making statements that you know can lead to a breach of the peace and yet you go ahead and then make them. Making statements about public institutions that you know is false. You know that is false because you don't really have any evidence to establish that. And then, you know, you still go ahead and then make those. Say, "But, if a journalist as happened in uh what's his name?

[00:19:17]The one who was hiding and then gathering evidence about judges.

[00:19:22]Anas Aremeyaw.

[00:19:24]I mean, he managed to actually gather evidence. Is that not it? Of some judges engaging in conduct that we don't What he publishes who where we took legislation from beginning to end with just about 10 15 people sitting in the in the chamber. And we never raised issues of quorum.

[00:19:45]Anytime that we raise issue of quorum, somebody just to to make fun. So, yes.

[00:19:51]And a lot of the time that the minority raises question of quorum, they don't they don't really want us to stop work.

[00:19:58]It's just part of the game that, you know, you will raise it and threaten >> And for attention.

[00:20:05]So, we are used to that, but we always find a way of reaching out to them so that they can allow us to continue business. See, we have a situation where we have a number of members of parliament who are ministers of state.

[00:20:21]Then, we have a number of members of parliament who are serving in ECOWAS parliament, are serving in Pan-African parliament.

[00:20:29]So, as we speak, the on ECOWAS parliament. He's on Pan-African parliament. Now, there are times when they actually sitting in South Africa or Abuja. And if they are not even sitting there, they are participating in committee work of the various parliaments on missions all over Africa. You can't, you know, say they should not participate because their numbers and then they happen to be abroad. We just send them notice that, "Please come back cuz we need you on this day for this uh assignment." Or even the ministers, "Whatever proceedings you have everywhere, please stop and come because we need you." So, uh when it is critical, trust me, every single member will be summoned into the house to transact business.

[00:21:11]I will follow up with you on the statement by the member of parliament on television.

[00:21:15]I would have said disclose, but in the process you might disclose the name of the contractor, and I don't want that to happen because he's not part of us.

[00:21:23]Then loaded work at the end. I've always advised against loading work at the end.

[00:21:28]And it is usually the committee chairpersons. Referrals are made to them. They sit on it. You keep, you know, prompting them. They keep, you know, saying they're doing consultations. They're having conferences. They're having engagements on the same, you know, referral. By the time they finish, then the minister comes to you pleading that he wants it passed before you go on recess. And that's really what is causing So it's usually a problem of uh leadership of the various committees.

[00:21:55]Examples of entrenched provisions that could be changed.

[00:22:00]Well, you know the recommendations of the constitutional review committee.

[00:22:05]Uh I'm sure you want the example of the extension of the tenure of the president and parliament. He's a law student. They are proposing that the parliament's tenure and then the president's tenure should be extended to 5 years instead of 4 years.

[00:22:26]Kufuor started advocating, you know, more than a decade ago. I recall President Kufuor has been advocating that from his experience as a president, 4 years is not enough. And at least we should extend it to 5 years. I know other West African countries that have 6 years.

[00:22:43]Uh I don't know if there are those who even have 7 years. Cameroon Cameroon has uh Sierra Leone 7 years.

[00:22:49]7 years.

[00:22:50]>> Sierra Leone Sierra Leone has 6 years.

[00:22:52]Yes. Uh Liberia also has 6 years.

[00:22:55]>> Yes.

[00:22:55]In West Africa, yeah. Most of the countries in West Africa have 6 years.

[00:22:58]Niger and all the You have there. Okay. You have there.

[00:23:01]Those are the issues that, you know, we'll be looking at.

[00:23:06]Me, if you ask me, I really don't care.

[00:23:09]You get the point? I've never been a president before, so I don't know how difficult it is to to govern in 4 years.

[00:23:15]I've been close to presidents and worked with presidents and see how they struggle.

[00:23:19]But, if you ask my personal view, I mean, I'm neither here nor there. It's the recommendation of the committee, and it's for us as Ghanaians, especially after that will be put to the public referendum. You all get to vote on it, whether you want your presidents to stay for 5 years or you want them to just keep to the 4-year tenure. If you ask me, I'm I'm uncommitted to anything.

[00:23:44]I'm indifferent.

[00:23:45]But, to tell you the truth, my personal view, you know, a good president is a good president.

[00:23:53]In 1 and 1/2 years, we have seen a good president.

[00:23:56]>> [laughter] [laughter] >> A good president is a good president.

[00:24:04]In 1 and 1/2 years, yeah, in 1 and 1/2 years, we have seen a good president.

[00:24:08]So, it's subject to debate, yes. We can debate it.

[00:24:13]And in fact, we'll debate it next week.

[00:24:15]So, so a good president is a good president, but maybe time also matters.

[00:24:21]And so, government is looking at the recommendations of the committee to look at the merits. I mean, if somebody, a statesman like Kufuor started advocating and advising, and I'm sure they consulted all the existing presidents, Akufo-Addo and Co., and I'm sure they took on board their own experiences and that of uh the sitting president, who was a president and was in opposition for 8 years.

[00:24:48]And so, you know, if those who have sat there and know the difficulties, you know, recommend that we should do it, you, the one who has never sat there, how can you say that you know, they are not right in their recommendations? So, that is what I can say about it.

[00:25:07]Mhm.

[00:25:08]Yeah.

[00:25:13]Yeah.

[00:25:16]Um what statement did I make about a certain president? You can you can say it.

[00:25:21]Pardon?

[00:25:24]Oh. It's not in the constitutional review committee recommendation.

[00:25:31]Yeah, we're looking at what the constitutional review committee has recommended.

[00:25:38]Oh.

[00:25:40]Well, I I Let me Let me just Let me just Let me just say that I You want the clarification?

[00:25:52]No, no, it's in the constitutional review committee recommendations. So, if you see what they have recommended, we'll look at it.

[00:25:58]Government hasn't finished its position paper.

[00:26:03]I know this as a fact because I'm involved.

[00:26:06]Government is looking at every single recommendation that they have made to see which one has merit and which one really does not have merit. [snorts] And then based on that, a position paper which will then inform the bills that will come to parliament. But, you know, whether it can For those that For those that will be passed by parliament, the non-entrenched provisions, it can come and the [clears throat] MPs will have a different view and actually amend it.

[00:26:42]And they >> [clears throat] >> they can actually amend it.

[00:26:45]But for those that are entrenched provisions, once the government accepts the recommendations and then puts it in a bill and it comes to this parliament.

[00:26:55]Automatically it's referred to referendum. We cannot change it, whatever disagreements we may have as members of parliament. You know, for instance, there are proposals that suggest that ministers should also not be members of parliament.

[00:27:12]If it's in the entrenched provision of the constitution and it comes as MPs, you can't say that you won't accept that because it's not even within your power to to change it. You may say it, but you can't change it.

[00:27:26]So, those are the dynamics. So, let's wait and see which ones come and then how we we handle them.

[00:27:34]The the 13 Okay.

[00:27:38]The the answer you gave to me the issue of the attacks the minority has been talking about.

[00:27:47]Attacks? Yes, attacks. I mean you you were trying to explain that we need The report of the the vetting committee. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[00:28:04]I think it is it's uh uh a matter that we will definitely have to uh uh consider. There's a report and so we looked at it.

[00:28:19]I think it's been laid and uh we're even hoping to take it in the last meeting.

[00:28:26]We advertised it.

[00:28:28]Uh-huh, we thought we could take it.

[00:28:30]But uh we ended up not being able to to take it. So, um we will discuss it among ourselves and then find a way of getting it taken uh this this meeting.

[00:28:45]I I was traveling in Europe.

[00:28:48]Then I boarded the bus to the aircraft and a Ghanaian approached me and actually told me that we're watching you. We're watching you to see what you will do about that report about yourselves.

[00:29:02]I'm not joking.

[00:29:03]>> [laughter] >> He told me in in Europe, I think in Germany. He said, "We're watching you to see what you will do about that report."

[00:29:12]So, I know that around the world, Ghanaians are watching us and they want to see what we do about each other when we misconduct ourselves.

[00:29:20]Um yes, so press media is an answer.

[00:29:46]Journalists ask me a lot of questions about their tax, the judiciary, and the sentence I just saw.

[00:30:03]How are these government AC and arrested these leaders.

[00:30:27]Because of free speech action that speech no more kind of one kind.

[00:30:35]They said Tik Tok How can I say also It's alleged assassination attempt on the guy.

[00:30:45]So, yeah, chill out with PlayStation.

[00:30:53]A mistake.

[00:31:18]It doesn't make sense. But, the rest of obesity don't shower but no matter what you need.

[00:31:27]Arrest me at the inter going doesn't make sense at all.

[00:31:35]But, to threaten someone's life, especially the first gentleman and the first lady there.

[00:31:43]Why would you say Tik Tok life no one else will become?

[00:31:47]Even we don't know where Ghana is going to go. So, because they You're entering money back on in Kuwaza.

[00:32:03]It's an offense.

[00:32:09]>> [snorts] >> Charges are not safe.

[00:32:16]And point of correction, pardon my chain and watch it because of free speech. And you have more year B during a MP PRB mono.

[00:32:26]Yeah, I ain't chilling because of free speech. The records are there.

[00:32:34]And I recommend a session.

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