Audio By Carbonatix
Chairman of the Committee probing the Ejura clashes has debunked claims that evidence it received from witnesses, including JoyNews’ Erastus Asare Donkor, were stupid and irrelevant.
Justice Kingsley Koomson said such suggestions are only individual opinions, thus do not represent the views of the Ministerial fact-finding Committee.
“Who decides what’s stupid? Who decides? We as a Committee, we are a fact-finding Committee and we’ve not come out to say that anyone’s evidence is stupid or it’s irrelevant.
He told journalists at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi, as the Committee brought its 12-day public sitting to an end. He noted that the Committee is satisfied with testimonies given by the 22 witnesses, including Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor.
"So, whoever will describe a piece of evidence as stupid or irrelevant, it is the person’s own opinion,” Justice Kingsley Koomson said.
The comments come after Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong threatened Erastus Asare Donkor, over what he described as, "the reporter’s stupid testimony before the Committee."
Justice Koomson told the journalists that he was hearing the verbal attacks on Erastus for the first time. He stated that Erastus provided the Committee a lot of evidence, in the form of video and oral testimonies which was helpful to the Committee's work.
“Erastus gave a lot of evidence; video and apart from that, I think he appeared before us, testified-yes oral testimony. And I think none of his evidence looks stupid.”
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong also incited the public to attack Erastus for his journalistic work.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has since began investigations after the Multimedia Group filed a complaint over the threats on its reporter.
Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP David Agyemang Adjem in a release on Thursday, acknowledged receipt of a "formal complaint and petition from the Multimedia Group against Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central constituency, for threats allegedly made against their journalist, Mr. Erastus Asare Donkor".
He said, the petition is receiving attention by the Ashanti Regional Crime Officer."
In all, the Committee heard from 22 witnesses, including 19 who testified in public. Three witnesses, for security reasons, testified in camera.
It also received 117 video evidence, 3 documentary evidence, 555 pictures and one audio evidence throughout its 12-day public hearing.
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