Captain Smart’s statement not a threat to peace, stability-Media General
They are therefore urging the Ghana Police Service and the IGP to exercise restraint in their dealings with journalists legitimately doing their work to enhance press freedom.
The Media General Group has noted that the statement made by Captain Smart, a presenter at Onua TV, did not amount to threats to the peace and stability of the country as indicated by the Ghana Police Service.
According to them, the arrest of Captain Smart is not an isolated incident but just one more egregious example of the intolerance increasingly creeping into Ghanaian society.
They are therefore urging the Ghana Police Service and the IGP to exercise restraint in their dealings with journalists legitimately doing their work to enhance press freedom.
The Nima Divisional Police Command yesterday, December 2, 2021, arrested broadcaster Blessed Godsbrain Smart popularly known as ‘Captain Smart’ the host of the morning show ‘Onua Maakye’ on Media General Subsidiaries, Onua TV and ONua FM.
He was thus cautioned at the Nima Police Station on the ‘ offence of offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace as provided under Section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960(ACT 29) and was granted bail after he provided a caution statement.
According to a Police Statement, the arrest of Captain smart was arrested due to alleged unsavoury pronouncements he made which hinges on the peace and security of the country.
In a statement signed by Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Christopher Koney, Media General believes that the statement of their presenter should not be one that should be interpreted in the manner that the police did and also expressed concern about a supposed new trend of the arrest of journalists and media practitioners.
“However, Media General believes that the statement made by Captain Smart should not be one that should be interpreted in the manner that the Police did and also to add that we are increasingly concerned about the new trend of the arrest of journalists and media practitioners.”
“This recent trend of picking journalists has affected journalists who work with Media General who are simply doing their work and, like every Ghanaian, should be protected by the Constitution,” the statement indicates in part.
