Kumasi: Court convicts and fines Zuria FM's Yussif Abdul Ganiyu for incitement [FULL JUDGMENT]
A journalist who works with Kumasi-based Zuria FM, Yussif Abdul Ganiyu, popularly known as “Shola”, has been found guilty by the Asokwa District Court in Kumasi over an inciteful comment.
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Yussif Abdul Ganiyu was prosecuted and found guilty for the comment the prosecution said was likely to breach public peace.
Yussif Abdul Ganiyu was charged with offensive conduct conducive to breach public peace contrary to section 207 of Act 29.
Delivering judgment, the District Magistrate, Afia Densi Asare-Kyire said the prosecution had proven beyond doubt the case against Yussif Abdul Ganiyu with both video and documentary evidence.
Facts
The CEO of Alpha Radio, Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan, an Islamic scholar and a philanthropist, was the complainant in the case.
The facts of the case, as presented by Assistant State Attorney, Kwabena Amponsah Asare, were that on April 20, 2021, at about 10am, the accused person, Yussif Abdul Ganiyu (Shola) was hosting an Islamic radio show on Zuria FM, where the discussion centered on pertinent issues surrounding the Muslim community in Ghana.
In the course of the show, the accused person made certain comments which had a tendency to incite Muslim youth.
The prosecution said the accused person said, "The Muslim community should revolt and take back what belongs to them."
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"Please rise and reclaim what belongs to you... Wake up men. Wake up men. Wake up and start asking for your right.".
The complainant said he received a phone call from one his employees at Alpha Radio that the radio show which was being hosted by the accused person was inciting Muslim youth.
The complainant then made a complaint at the police station and the accused person was arrested.
The prosecution said in his investigation caution statement, Yussif Abdul Ganiyu denied making any threatening statements.
The court, after examining all the evidence adduced by both the prosecution and the defence counsel, rejected the plea of not guilty by the accused person and fined him 500 penalty units equivalent to GH¢6000 or in default, serve a three-month prison term.
He was further cautioned to desist from making such remarks and to sign a bond to desist from such remarks and to be of good behaviour for as long as he remains a journalist and works as one, whether on radio or any other media he operates on or in default serve three months imprisonment.
Attached below is a certified true copy of the judgment
EDITOR's NOTE
This is an updated version of the earlier report to reflect the exact orders by the court