I sympathize with ModernGhana Journalist over his U-turn – Lawyer Ayinini

Lawyer Sampson Laady Ayinini who earlier was counsel for two staff of online news portal ModernGhana says he’s decided not to comment further on the apparent U-turn made by one of them, Emmanuel Britwum after the latter’s arrest and detention by operatives of the National Security Secretariat.

Emmanuel Britwum has insisted that he was never tortured by the operatives while in detention.

Lawyer for the journalist, Debora Asabere-Ameyaw in a statement said claims by a private Lawyer Ayinini that her client was tortured have all been denied by the journalist.

“Mr Emmanuel Britwum hereby denies categorically each and every allegation leveled against him in a purported statement by A-Partners@Law (Mr Anyenini’s law firm).

“It is his case that he has never engaged any law firm or any individual from that firm. He has never made any statement to the effect that he was tortured for which reason same was to be circulated in the media,” the statement signed by her said.

Emmanuel Britwum has denied the alleged torture for the second time.

The denial came after Lawyer Samson Laady Anyenini who was part of a legal team put together by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) after the duo were picked up said the journalist had corroborated his editor Emmanuel Ajafor Abugri’s account of events while they were in detention.

According to Mr Anyenini, “I asked him more than five times,” the lawyer recalled his interaction with his now former client. Mr Lardy said he gave this testimony in the presence of lawyers, journalists and friends.

“I am learning for the first time that he has gone to get another lawyer…. It is strange that some lawyer has surfaced and claimed he was not tortured,” Mr Anyenini said on Joy FM’s Newsnight, Wednesday.

In his second denial, again through his lawyer, Britwum denies ever confirming the allegations levelled by his editor while speaking to Mr Anyenini.

But touching briefly on the issue on News File show on Saturday of which he’s the host, Lawyer Sampson Laady Ayinini stated that he’ll decline further commentary on this matter and rather chooses to sympathize with the journalist.

“…Because of my involvement in some way together with other lawyers …all I want to say about the matter that has come up is that I choose to ignore and choose to rather sympathize with this particular journalist knowing what I know that he may be going through.”