Counsel for the three jailed Montie FM contemnors have expressed optimism that President John Dramani Mahama will act immediately to release the trio after an official petition was submitted.
“We do not want them to even spend [another day in prison], they are spending a week by tomorrow [Thursday August 4] so you can imagine what our prayer will be. Having consulted the Council of State, that is our prayer …We are praying fervently that we will receive something positive immediately,” a member of the legal team for the three, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, noted on Wednesday August 3.
Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn, and Salifu Maase, aka Mugabe, were cited for contempt by the Supreme Court for scandalising and bringing the name of the bench into disrepute when they threatened to kill justices of the court during a discussion on political talk show Pampaso, hosted by Mugabe on Accra-based Montie FM. They were sentenced to a four-month jail term.
Following their sentencing, supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress, groups, friends, and family have mounted pressure on Mr Mahama to grant them pardon by invoking his prerogative of mercy powers under Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution.
A petition book to solicit one million signatures in support of freeing the convicts has been opened at Radio Gold. It has been signed by some Ministers and Deputy Ministers. The Ga Traditional Council on Monday August 1, at a news conference, also joined the fray and pleaded with Mr Mahama to show mercy.
The petition was officially presented to the Flagstaff House on Tuesday August 2. Forty-eight hours after the petition was received by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, the president is yet to act.
But Mr Tameklo is very confident the president will take a decision on the matter "very soon".
"We would not have taken the initiative on behalf of our clients if we have cause to doubt that possibility," he added in an interview on Joy News.
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