Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has stated quite categorically that eventhough he is not in favour of the custodial sentence imposed on the Montie FM contemnors, he is also dead set against any exercise of the president's discretionary power under Article 72 to grant the trio clemency.
He has thus counseled President John Dramani Mahama not to heed to calls grant the Montie FM trio pardon.
Kweku Baako claims the President will be committing "political suicide" should he accede to the petition from the party members and supporters.
According to him, it will be a dent on the President's political character and career should he meddle in the court ruling.
Though President Mahama has the powers to either grant pardon or remit the sentence of the offenders, Mr. Baako believes any attempt would be an invitation "for the President to step into a minefield; a political minefield!"
“I’m against the custodial but paradoxically and contradictorily if you like, I’m also against the pardon,” he added.
Contributing to a panel discussion on PeaceFM's "Kokrokoo" Show Wednesday, the Senior Journalist noted that it is appropriate for sympathizers and party faithfuls to "create a critical mass of sympathy for people who you work with and belong to your camp, I’ve absolutely nothing against it...it is not wrong. It’s therapeutic. It’s helpful. It heals" but they must "take out the pardon. Because the pardon is an invitation to the President to enter a minefield, a political minefield; it could amount to political suicide.”
He further had a piece of advice for Mugabe, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako-Gunn, saying "I’m proceeding from a very sentimental point of view…Nsawam is not bad. Nsawam is a township. It’s like a hotel. But if they’re not lucky and they’re pushed to some of the local prisons, it is there that they will see real prison life.” |
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