A Justice of the Supreme Court, Yonny Kulendi, says judges have no problem with the media criticising their decisions.
However, those criticisms must be constructive and devoid of insult and personality attacks.
“As trustees of the people’s power of justice, we are willing to be criticised. Criticise us as violently as you can, but for Christ sake, don’t insult us, don’t beret us, don’t speak hatred and don’t malign us,” he said.
He said journalists and judges have similar responsibilities of serving the people of Ghana, therefore those responsibilities must be discharged in the supreme interest of the country.
Justice Kulendi was speaking on behalf of the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, at a joint press conference in Accra Wednesday by the Judicial Service and media bodies at the forecourt of the Supreme Court.
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The media bodies were the National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) and Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) represented by their respective heads.
Also present at the press conference was the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Mr Tony Forson.
The press conference was to remind the media about the need to be circumspect in its reportage after tomorrow’s judgement of the 2020 presidential election petition.
It was also on the back of the hells of a recent bad between the Judicial Service and the media which lead to statements and counter statements from the two sides.