The renowned investigative journalist’s attorneys, Cromwell Gray LLP, have urged the public to ignore false media reports that the Supreme Court of Ghana, presided over by Baffoe-Bonnie, JSC, has ordered the journalist to testify in public without a mask in the case of the Republic v. Kwesi Nyantakyi & Another.
The attorneys claimed in a seven-point statement made available to GhanaWeb that the Supreme Court did not issue such a directive in its decision on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, or that their client is being required by the court’s highest court to appear in court without a mask.
According to reports in the media, the Accra High Court’s order requiring the journalist to testify behind closed doors against Kwesi Nyantakyi for the events detailed in his documentary “Number 12: When Greed and Corruption Become the Norm” was overturned by the Supreme Court.
The investigative journalist was ordered to show up in court without his signature mask.
According to reports, the court presided over by Justice Baffoe-Bonnie dismissed the High Court 2, Criminal Division, Accra ruling allowing Anas Aremeyaw Anas to testify behind closed doors as a prosecution witness in the criminal case known as Republic v.
The decision Kwesi Nyantakyi & Others was made lacked the necessary legal support.
The journalist’s attorneys refuted the reports claiming that their client, Anas, and his Tiger Eye PI team will keep donning the recognizable facial beads as a representation of objective anonymity in investigative journalism.
“Our attention has been drawn to developments in the ongoing criminal trial of the former head of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, who is standing trial for corruption and fraud over the Number 12 investigative report aired in 2018. The documentary uncovered football-related corruption in Ghana and other African countries.
“The criminal proceedings were instituted following Anas’ petition filed with the Attorney-General. The star witness for the Republic, Ahmed Suale, who was one of the investigative journalists in respect of the documentary, was murdered in Madina, Accra weeks before his testimony could be taken”.
Ameyaw Anas Anas consented to testify in place of Ahmed Suale on the condition that he be given the option to do so in chambers or behind closed doors.
“The public should disregard false reportage that Anas has been ordered by the Supreme Court or is being compelled by the Supreme Court to appear in court without his trademark face beads.
“Anas may choose to testify as a prosecution witness or not. Anas and his Tiger Eye team will continue to wear the iconic face beads as a symbol of impartial anonymity in investigative journalism and to highlight the extreme risks in that line of duty,” the statement of Cromwell Gray LLP issued on November 8, clarified.
