Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr., has said that claims by Mr. A.B.A. Fuseini, Night Editor of the Daily Graphic that journalists group, the “Coffee Shop Mafia” was responsible for concocting the famous allegation against journalist, Kwesi Pratt of collecting a $125,000 bribe is not correct. Mr. Fuseini spoke on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Thursday and chided the Ghana Journalists Association for allowing too many infractions of journalistic ethics go without a reprimand and yet found it expedient to jump at the editor of the New Punch newspaper, Baby Ansaba, and line him up for disciplinary action following his confession to fabricating stories for publication in the recent past. A.B.A. Fuseini said he was baffled at the sudden interest of the GJA executives in seeking to ‘right’ Baby Ansaba when several and more serious infractions in the past had gone unpunished, saying the allegation against Kwesi Pratt, concocted and peddled by the “Coffee Shop Mafia” also came to the notice of the GJA but the association did nothing about it. Kweku Baako said even though the publication of what then was a rumour was by a senior journalist and member of the “Coffee Shop Mafia,” Haruna Atta, who then edited the Accra Daily Mail, it was never the work of the group. He said even for the publication, the GJA invited Haruna Atta to appear before it to respond to issues emerging from the publication, except that Haruna Atta refused to meet the GJA. Kweku Baako also refuted claims that the “Coffee Shop Mafia” met to discuss and strategize what news items they ought to publish in the respective newspapers of the members, or to instigate political agendas, saying the joint served only as a social point where the group and several other people of diverse backgrounds and political persuasions met to fraternize. Other persons who frequented the popular joint included now Vice President John Mahama, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, MP Moses Asaga, and former First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Freddie Blay. Describing Baby Ansaba as never a member of the “Coffee Shop Mafia”, Kweku Baako said in the about eight years that the group met at the joint, Baby Ansaba was there for only three times, claiming also that the allegation against Kwesi Pratt was later found to have originated from one Nana Fitz, a football administrator. Story by Myjoyonline.com