The editor of The Herald newspaper, Larry Dogbe, has been sentenced to seven days in prison after an Accra High Court found him guilty of contempt.
The conviction followed an application filed by Kevin Okyere, who accused the journalist and his newspaper of breaching a court injunction that barred publications considered damaging to his reputation.
The contempt case centred on a series of reports published by The Herald concerning alleged fraud claims, creditor disputes and foreign court proceedings involving Mr. Okyere.
According to court filings, Mr. Okyere’s legal team argued that the publications were made despite an existing court order restraining Mr. Dogbe from publishing statements intended to tarnish his reputation while the substantive case remained before the court.
The lawyers maintained that the reports amounted to a deliberate violation of the injunction and demonstrated disregard for the authority of the court.
Following the ruling, Mr. Dogbe took to social media to express his disappointment and defend the newspaper’s reporting.
“Justice Isaac Addo for an Accra High Court, has just convicted me and sentenced me to seven days’ imprisonment in the case involving Kevin Okyere and Petraco SA. The Herald newspaper reported only on a petition filed by the multinational company with CID, EOCO, GIP, Attorney-General etc. Ghana deserves better. Journalism is not a crime,” he wrote.
During the proceedings, Mr. Dogbe reportedly challenged the contempt application, arguing that he was unaware of the injunction order at the time the publications were made.
He also questioned the authenticity and admissibility of some of the documents relied upon by the applicant, according to reports.
The High Court was tasked with determining whether a valid court order existed, whether the respondent had notice of the order and whether his actions amounted to a breach of the injunction.
The contempt proceedings arose from an application filed at the High Court’s General Jurisdiction Division by Mr. Okyere, who sought an order committing the journalist for allegedly defying the court’s directive.
The court ultimately found against Mr. Dogbe and imposed a seven-day custodial sentence.
Source: metrotvonline.com
