Freedom of speech comes with responsibility – Jantuah

The Chief Executive Officer of the African Energy Consortium Limited, Kwame Jantuah, has said freedom of speech comes along with some responsibilities.

He said people must be responsible in their utterances by being prepared to substantiate the claims that they make.

Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday February 19, Mr Jantuah who is also a private legal practitioner said media houses have a responsibility to keep persons who appear on their platforms in check by walking them out of the studios if they make unsubstantiated allegations against individuals or institutions.

“Freedom of speech comes with responsibility,” he said, adding that “In the advanced countries they will come after you and ask you to show the evidence. The recklessness of our comments do not helping us.”

He further told the Police to be fair and impartial in carrying out their mandate.

He said this regarding the arrests and detentions of the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Kwame Baffoe (Abronye DC) for an allegation he made against Former President John Dramani Mahama, and the Convener of #FixTheCountryMovement.

“The actions of the police should be such that they do it equitably where everybody goes through the process of arrest.

“Police should be standard in the way they execute the law. You invite Abronye because his party is in power and Oliver wasn’t invited but they used heavy-handed methods to capture him,” he said.

Abronye DC was on Wednesday February 16 granted ¢100,000 bail. The case was adjourned to March 9.

He had been charged for publication of false news and offensive conduct.

The Police said in a statement that preliminary investigation established that his claims against Former President John Dramani Mahama that he was plotting a coup, were untrue.

He was invited to the Accra Regional Police Command on Tuesday February 15 following the comments he made against Mr Mahama.

“The attention of the Police Service was drawn to a publication in which Mr Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC is alleged to have said that former President John Mahama is allegedly planning to stage a coup,” the Police said in a statement on Tuesday February 15.

Regarding Barker-Vormawor, the Police said in an earlier statement that he was picked-up for allegedly writing on social media that he would topple the government if the E-levy bill is passed.

“Mr Oliver Baker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media platforms to the effect that he would stage himself if the E-levy bill is passed by Parliament,” portions of the Police statement said.

He was denied bail after being charged with treason felony.