One of the three persons convicted for contemptuous comments against some judges but later pardoned, says the conviction has reformed him.

Alistair Nelson told MultiTV’s PM Express that although at the time he taught the punishment was harsh, he is convinced he has become better for it.

“Sometimes punishment is good. Sometimes for what you do, and you don’t know you have gone overboard, somebody needs to prick you to bring your mind about what you are doing,” he told the host of PM Express, Kojo Yankson on Wednesday evening.

He said since returning from a brief stay in prison, it has helped him to become more measured in his comments on the radio.

Mr Nelson, together with Godwin Ako Gunn, and Salifu Maase, were jailed on July 27, 2016, for threatening to kill some judges whose judgements, according to them, were bad.

The threat was made on a political talk show on Accra-based Montie FM.

They also threatened to rape the Chief Justice then, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, on the same show.

Godwin Ako-Gun was recently elected Deputy Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Despite a three-month jail sentence handed them by the Supreme Court, the NDC supporters were set free by then President, John Mahama, on August 22, 2016, after they had served a little over three weeks in jail.

Three legal practitioners Nana Asante Bediatuo, Elipklim Agbemeva; and Alfred Yeboah subsequently headed to the Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the pardon granted them is null and void.

They maintain that the then President did not have the power to grant pardons in criminal contempt matters.

However, delivering the decision of the Supreme Court panel, Justice Adinyira said the President's powers to grant pardons covers criminal contempt. 

She added that this cannot be questioned by the court.

The court 's decision was a majority 5-2 decision comprising Justices Adinyira, Baffour Bonnie, Appau, Pwamang, Benin. Justices Anin Yeboah and Dotse disagreed with the majority decision.

Bad experience

Commenting on the events following his conviction Alistair Nelson said the incident cost him some cherished and revered friends.

 “Those who were sitting in their homes, who have not sent us to speak, the owners of the station, today my relationship is broken with all of them,” he said.

“It is very difficult to even pick a phone and call any of them, they wouldn’t respond because they have tagged us the bad boy[s] in the system. It has been a very bad experience,” he added.