Ghana: Judge Seizes Phones of Journalists in Court

Her Ladyship Justice Sophia Akuffo , Chief Justice, Ghana

Phones of journalists covering the case involving the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Obengfo Hospital were seized on the orders of magistrate Efua Sackey.

According to her, journalists cannot report from the court as of right.

As a result, she ordered the court warrant officer (CWO) to seize all the phones of the journalists present before beginning to hear the case.

The case involving Dr Dominic Obeng-Andoh has attracted interests from many media firms as he has been charged for the murder of the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), Stacy Offei Darko.

But the magistrate is said to have consistently complained about the presence of the journalists in her court since the case began.

At the last hearing of the case, for instance, she ordered the journalists to report to the registrar for clearance to sit in her court.

Journalists who had their phones seized by Efua Sackey’s directive expressed disgust after hearing on Tuesday.

They said the decision and subsequent orders are completely alien to their experiences in courts, even in the higher courts of judicature.

3new.com

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