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Today marks exactly a week since the incarceration of our three brothers who have come to be known to many Ghanaians within the past week as the MONTIE 3.
Our comrades, Mugabe Maase, Ako Gunn and Alister Tairo Nelson have been thrown into prison by a Supreme Court judgement that has been described by many as the harshest in our national life and our growing democracy.
The three, who were cited for contempt, apologised profusely for their behaviour. They sought third parties to apologize on their behalf. Comrades pleaded on their behalf as well. At some point, the whole country apologized for them in accordance with our tradition of not “throwing the baby away with the bath water. Nonetheless, they were handed a 4-month prison sentence and fined Ghc10,000.00 each.
#FreeMontie3_Now wishes to commemorate this day, a week after the Supreme Court of Ghana awarded an excessive and unprecedented punishment for contempt against the three Ghanaians.
It was last Wednesday when the Supreme Court by a harsh ruling attempted to gag media houses and activists from expressing their opinions of judges and their conduct without fear.
Since this ruling, the Supreme Court has further polarised this country and ended up scandalising the judicial system.
Since the ruling, the Supreme Court which should have been the bastion of fairness and justice has rather become the target of rebuke and public ridicule.
The Supreme Court has within the last seven days reduced the hope that a large section of our society had in the judiciary. On the streets, homes, offices and public places, people are expressing their disdain at the conduct of our judges.
The last bit of sacredness that used to hover around the high office of the Supreme Court has been broken and diminished by this judgement.
To correct the situation and restore confidence in our governance system, majority of Ghanaians are calling for the exercise of the President’s Prerogative of Mercy enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
For justice to be seen to have been done relative to past rulings of the Supreme Court in dealing with contempt cases, a large section of the public including chiefs, pastors and other opinion leaders are calling on His Excellency the President to activate his powers under Article 72 of the Ghanaian Constitution.
As a Movement, we wish to renew our steadfastness in our pursuit for the president His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to show mercy by applying Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution to curb the abuse of judicial power.
While we condemn the comments of the trio, we believe no attempt must be made by the judiciary to criminalise free speech especially after the repeal of the Criminal Libel law.
We wish to use this opportunity to invite all and sundry to join us in our subsequent programs as we continue to appeal to the President to release the three since we believe a non-custodial sentence would have elicited the necessary effect.
Signed
Benjamin Essuman (Member)
Onasis Kobby (Member)
Stephen Attuh (Member)
Patricia Addy (Member)
Julius Logass (Member)
Dzifa Gunu (Member)
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