Court frees journalist who videoed proceedings without accreditation

A freelance journalist, Sacut Amenga-Etego, who was last week arrested for taking videos of court proceedings has been discharged by the Accra High Court.

Amenga-Etego became a free man after the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, decided not to punish him despite the videos he took and the fact that he had insulted the judge in unprintable words in chats found on his mobile phone.

“I have not cited Sacut for any contempt of Court. I have no desire to do so although he has bruised my ego. I will hereby discharge him to go out of my court as a free man."

Counsel for Amenga-Etego, Mr Victor Kwadjoga Adawudu, pleaded with the court to have mercy on his client.

According to counsel, his client was not aware that court proceedings were not to be recorded without permission.

“My Lady, I am sure he was misled to believe that since Court proceedings are always in the public domain and the information is also in the public domain, anything could be done,” counsel said.

Read also: Sacut Amenga-Etego was arrested for allegedly videoing court proceedings