Lawyers for Kojo Yankson, host of Super Morning Show on Joy FM, say publications suggesting that the National Media Commission (NMC) has found Mr Yankson culpable of lying about statements  on the GITMO 2 detainees which he attributed to the Attorney-General are false.

A press release issued Monday states that "Chairman of the NMC, who also chaired proceedings, was emphatic that he could NOT say either party “lied”.

Read the full press release below:

We wish to correct inaccurate and misleading media reports that our client was found by the NMC to have lied about statements on the famous GITMO 2 detainees attributed to the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

We state categorically that there was never any such finding. We also put on record that during the determination of the Petition, on July 13 2016, Chairman of the NMC, who also chaired proceedings, was emphatic that he could NOT say either party “lied”.

The complaints settlement committee’s ruling on the record did not also include any finding that our client’s said comments were “misleading”, but that our client had been “unfair to the Attorney General”, because a couple of media protocols were not observed:

• First, that he did not adequately identify himself to the AG when he approached her, and did not inform her that their conversation was in fact, an interview.

• Second, that even though the AG admitted portions of the statement, she disputed a part, and that the disputed part “cannot be substantiated.” This is the part where our client stated in the impugned broadcast of January 13, 2016 that the AG told him she had not been involved in processes towards Ghana’s acceptance of the GITMO 2.

Our client accepts the ruling of the NMC. He should not have assumed the AG knew him from prior telephony conversations and his earlier self-introduction when he asked the President a question during that press event with the President. He should not have assumed that the fact that they were at a press conference presupposed that their interaction was an interview.

Security protocol at the Flagstaff House on the day made it impossible for conversations to be recorded as recording devices and phones were not allowed in. It is therefore impossible to substantiate the disputed portion of the conversation.

Once again, our client accepts the NMC's ruling that he was not fair to the Attorney General in his said conduct, and wholeheartedly apologises to her accordingly.

Thank you.

Signed

Samson Lardy ANYENINI, Esq.

A-PARTNERS @ LAW