Sidiq Asemota, a judicial reporter of privately-owned Daily Observer newspaper was on July 10, 2012 remanded at the Mile II State Central Prison by the Banjul High Court for contempt of court. According to Media Foundation for West Africa’s (MFWA) sources, Asemota who was arrested at the court’s premises on the orders of Justice Emmanuel Nkea remains in prison custody till July 13, when he re-appears before the court.
It was reported that Justice Nkea ordered the High Court bailiff to bring Asemota before him or he, the bailiff, be detained, and immediately the reporter was arraigned before him. MFWA’s sources reported that the reason(s) for the arrest and charge of contempt remains unknown, however, reporters later gathered that the arrest was in relation to a July 9 publication that Asemota authored and headlined “Two sentenced for forgery.”
This is the latest of a contempt charge brought against a journalist by Justice Nkea. Lamin Njie, deputy editor of privately-owned Daily newspaper was on June 22, 2012 detained on the orders of Justice Nkea and charged for contempt of court for erroneously reporting a court proceeding. He was later released on June 25.
For more information please contact:
Kwame Karikari (Prof)
Executive Director
MFWA
Accra
Tel: 233-30-22 4 24 70
Fax: 233-302-22 10 84
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: www.mediafound.org