The Management of Onua TV and Onua FM, have expressed solidarity over the arrest and detention of the station's morning show host, Blessed Godsbrain Smart, popularly known as 'Captain Smart'.

In a statement issued on February 3, the Head of the station, Bismark Nana Apeanti, disclosed that since the issue came up, Management has been embarking on the necessary follow-ups, to ascertain the wellbeing of their embattled employee.

According to him, based on their interactions with the journalist, Captain Smart is of the view that his arrest and detention, are part of efforts by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to gag him from criticising the regime. Mr. Apeanti, therefore, called for a fair trial process.

"On Thursday morning, Manangement visited the same offices of the National Security only to be told that Captain Smart was not in their custody. Management then went to the Ministries Police Station and officers at the Police Station also informed Management that he was not in their custody. Management got information that he was at the Teshie GREDA Estates Police Station in Accra. Captain Smart and GH Bwoy were later sent to the Circuit Court where they were finally released after 2pm on Thursday afternoon.

"From Management's interaction with Captain Smart so far on the issue, he believes that this was an attempted and failed entrapment to digress from issues begging for attention, which he is known to have vociferously criticised on his TV and radio shows.

"Captain Smart is going to prove his innocence in court to all charges levelled against him and as a consequence, Management hopes for fair treatment and trial for him and for his DJ. The case is expected to be back in court on 3rd March 2022", portions of the statement read.

Captain Smart was detained at the National Security Office along with another staff, Eric Dadzie Copperfield, popularly known as DJ GH Bwoy. This was after the two were granted bail after they pleaded not guilty to respective counts of charges of extortion and abetment to extort at the Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday, February 2.

Following their bail grant at around 10:00 am, the two were then taken to the National Security Office where they stayed for a few hours briefing the Coordinator on what had transpired. This process was delayed until the court closed; hence they were not able to process all the conditions for bail. The delay meant the two had to spend the night in police cells.

Meanwhile, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has expressed concerns over Captain Smart's arrest and detention.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Sammy Gyamfi said, the detention of the journalist by National Security Operatives is a reflection of the government’s nontolerance for critical voices. He, therefore, wondered when the ‘tyranny’ will stop.

“Yesterday, Captain Smart was arraigned before Circuit Court 6 in Accra, by National Security Operatives and the Ghana Police Service on some trumped-up charges. The Court in its wisdom granted Captain Smart bail and he and his lawyers satisfied all the bail conditions yesterday.

"Sadly but unsurprisingly, the autocratic and despotic Akufo-Addo regime has refused to release Captain Smart from Police Custody. Captain was detained yesterday by the National Security. As we speak his location is unknown to his lawyers, family and employer. This government’s penchant for oppressing and suppressing persons critical of them including journalists is disgraceful and sickening. When will this tyranny stop? #ReleaseCaptainSmartNow“, Sammy Gyamfi wrote.