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Attacked
February 9
Nana Kofi Coomson, The Ghanaian Chronicle, IMPRISONED, HARASSED
Eben Quarcoo, The Free Press, IMPRISONED, HARASSED
Tommy Thompson, Tommy Thompson Books, Ltd., IMPRISONED, ATTACKED, HARASSED
On Feb. 9, police arrested and questioned Coomson, the editor in chief of the independent daily Ghanaian Chronicle, and later released him on bail of 10 million cedis (US$6,700). Quarcoo, the editor of The Free Press, and Thompson, its publisher, had been away from their offices when police delivered a summons ordering them to report to police headquarters for questioning the same day. Instead, they reported to police headquarters Feb. 12 and each was released on bail of 10 million cedis after interrogation. On Feb. 14, Circuit Court Judge Nuhu Bila revoked the bail without explanation, and the three were immediately remanded into custody. Counsel for the journalists filed an appeal with the High Court. Coomson, Quarcoo, and Thompson were charged with "publishing false news with the intent of injuring the reputation of the State," a violation of Section 185 of the Criminal Code of 1960, an ordinance from the colonial era. If convicted, they could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The Free Press and the Ghanaian Chronicle reprinted in their January 31 and February 1 editions, respectively, a story published in the New York-based biweekly The African Observer, which reported that the Ghanaian diplomat Frank Benneh, of the Ghanaian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, had been arrested in Switzerland for selling drugs. The article also alleged that President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana had used proceeds from illegal drug sales to buy arms. On Feb. 15, CPJ sent a letter of protest to President Rawlings, calling for the immediate release of the three journalists and the repeal of Section 185 of the antiquated Criminal Code. On Feb. 23, Judge Bila granted bail in the amount of 6 million cedis (US$4,000) for the journalists, who were then released. Judge Bila also referred the constitutional issues of the case to the Supreme Court. The criminal case has been adjourned until the Supreme Court renders a decision.
For more information contact africaweb@cpj.org