Criticize but don't insult us - Chief Justice to the media

The Chief Justice, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, has advised media practitioners to be circumspect in their commentaries towards the members of the judicial arm of government.

At a press conference on Tuesday, a Supreme Court Judge, Yonny Kulendi who was speaking on behalf of the Chief Justice noted that the arbiter is open for criticism but would not accept insults.

According to him,  since the judiciary is a human institution, it is not infallible, however, it will be untoward for media houses to use their medium to channel out abusive words towards adjudicators.

“The Chief Justice says I should tell you that ‘as trustees of the people power of justice, we are willing and happy to be criticised. Criticise us as violently as you can, but for Christ sake, don’t insult us. Don’t berate us, don’t speak hatred and malign us.

“Don’t [insult us] because, like yourselves and the work that you do and the heart that you bring to bear on it, it is a similar responsibility and consciousness that judges use to embrace their work,” he told the reporters at a GJA press briefing as quoted by joyonline.

The media briefing comes after lawyers of the Judicial Service of Ghana demanded that all stories deemed “hateful, and incendiary” against Justices of the Supreme Court be pulled down from their online platforms.

But leaders of GJA kicked sternly against the order describing it as a way of gagging the fourth estate.

But explaining further, Justice Kulendi said the Judiciary is not seeking to silence the media but to urge them to be decorous in the information it churn out.

“You’ll have to take this phase of the responsibility very seriously. It is as important as the role you have performed in transmitting the proceedings worldwide because at the end of the day the Ghanaian people own the process.

“So it is important that they understand what went on and when the judges speak irrespective of our preferences, our likes and dislikes by the rules of engagement the referee blows the whistle and the lots fall where they fall. And so let’s be constructive, let’s be proactive,” he said.