“Kennedy Agyepong did not declare war” -Fifii Boafo tells court

By Helena Selby

 

Hearing of the infamous pronouncement by Kennedy Ohene Agyepong, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin-North on his own radio station began yesterday before an Accra Circuit Court with a prosecution’s witness denying that Kennedy Ohene Agyapong had declared war.

The witness, Mr. Stephen Fifii Boafo, host of the Morning Show on Oman FM, dubbed “National Agenda”, in his evidence-in-chief told the court, presided over by Mr. Ebenezer Osei Darko that the MP, who is facing charges of breach of peace, had phoned into the programme to make his comments on the news item, concerning Members of Parliament, who were attacked at Odododiodo.

According to the witness, the show, which is aired on both radio and television, and discusses news items for the day, weather reports and has a phone-in segment for the general public and other dignitaries, received a call from the accused person, who happened to be the owner of the establishment.

However, Mr. Boafo noted that although he could not remember the exact words of the Assin-North MP, he could quiet recollect that the accused person did not make any declaration of war, in any sense.

Witness also denied a statement purportedly made by him to the police, as the Principal State Attorney, Mr. Anthony Rexford Wiredu had earlier shown him the statement, stressing that the statement he wrote to the police, when he was called upon, seems to have been tempered with, as there were some cancellation he has no idea of.

The witness, during a cross examination by Mr. Joe Gharttey, counsel for the accused person, indicated that on the said day, he was in the studio with two other speakers, who were there by invitation, and not through any monetary payments. The case was therefore adjourned to November 13, 2012 for continuation.

Kennedy Ohene Agyepong,, who is also the owner of Net2 Television station, is currently facing two charges of Provocation of riot, Contrary to Section 200 and Section 196 (1) (9) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (ACT 29) and Offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace, contrary to Section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960.

He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges and the court had admitted him to bail in his own recognizance.

Putting the facts of the case before the court, the Principal State Attorney indicated that on April 13, this year, the accused person called into a phone-in programme on Oman FM, a radio station he owned, where he made certain statements which amounts to provocation of riots and declaration of war.

The prosecution additionally told the court that Mr. Ohene Agyepong subsequently dared the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the National Security Coordinator, Mr. Gbevlo Lartey, to come and arrest him.

Mr. Wiredu further noted that when the accused person was invited to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on April 16, this year, and was detained, supporters of the NPP trooped to the police headquarters in Accra and vandalized nine vehicles, two of which belonged to the Ghana Police Service.

The supporters, according to the prosecution, also blocked the road leading to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), the national broadcasting station, and burnt vehicle tyres on

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