Copyright ghanamma
Former Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North, Alhaji Fuseini Issah, has urged the media to exercise fairness and restraint when reporting on corruption allegations, cautioning against narratives that amount to public trials before official investigations are concluded. Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, November 6, Mr Issah stressed that the increasing tendency to subject accused persons to “media prosecution” poses a threat to justice and undermines the integrity of legal processes. He observed that media discussions often shape public perception long before facts are established, creating a prejudiced atmosphere around ongoing cases. “What I find very difficult is the public prosecution of some of these matters even before people get the opportunity to respond, and it is a growing phenomenon that is very worrying,” he said. According to him, the role of the media is not only to expose wrongdoing, but also to ensure balance and fairness in reportage, highlighting that accused persons must be given an equal opportunity to state their case before being judged in the court of public opinion. “Where there is a public discussion of an issue, already before you get to answer whatever allegation is against you, the public has formed an opinion. You have been prosecuted even before the case actually starts in court, and that is worrying,” he noted. His comments come in the wake of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)’s ruling against the former Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, for corruption and procurement breaches. CHRAJ has barred Dr Owusu-Amoah from holding any public office for five years and referred him to the Attorney-General for prosecution after investigations revealed that his actions caused a financial loss of GHS8,971,933.43 to the state. The ruling followed a 2022 petition by the Movement for Truth and Accountability (MFTA), a civil society group, which accused the former GRA boss of fraudulent procurement practices in awarding contracts for vehicles and logistics to three companies: Ronor Motors Ltd, Sajel Motors & Trading Company Ltd, and Telinno Ghana Ltd through single-source procurement. CHRAJ’s report indicated that the GRA misled the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) into approving the contracts under questionable circumstances, in violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663). It also found that two of the firms, Sajel Motors and Telinno Ghana, had no verifiable business locations and were non-tax compliant at the time. Mr Issah acknowledged the need for robust investigative journalism and public accountability but insisted that fairness should not be compromised. “The media plays an important role in shaping perception, but it must also protect the integrity of due process,” he cautioned. He called on journalists and citizens alike to allow state institutions to complete investigations and the courts to decide on cases, warning that premature judgments could tarnish reputations and weaken trust in Ghana’s justice system.
