Connect FM’s Paa Kwesi Simpson, another remanded in Mpohor fake kidnapping

Connect FM presenter and host of current affairs programme, Omanbapa, Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson have been remanded by a Takoradi court for allegedly publishing fake news.

Mr Simpson was remanded together with the boyfriend of Stephanie Kumiwaa, a 26 year old reported to have been kidnapped at Mpohor in the Western Region, Stephen Kumi.

The two are facing charges of publication of false news with the intent of causing fear and alarm to the public contrary to the Public Order Act, and false publication of news through an electronic device contrary to the Electronic Communications Act, 775 of 2008.

Report said the two were denied bail on Thursday, November 4 by the court.

Messrs Simpson and Kumi have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr Simpson was said to had reported the incident on radio.

3news.com report Defence Counsel Calister Tetteh argued the two count profess against Mr Simpson were dead on arrival.

“I must say the two counts are dead on arrival. The three ingredients that must show for count 1 to stand must include the fact that, a statement must be false and must be indeed a publication as well as the intent. For A1, there is no evidence that the information received from the girlfriend was false, and again the police have evidence that he paid some money which the police has removed from their fact sheet.

“So A1 must be treated as a victim. The police have not been able to tell the court that it is false that he actually had a relationship with the girl and didn’t publish anything to be guilty of the second count”.

“For A2, it is very unfortunate for him to find himself here. The fact does not in any way suggest that A2 made any false statement anywhere. A2 has never published any false news anywhere, as he didn’t publish the story on ghanaweb. That story never attributed A2 as the source of that publication on ghanaweb. The statement that A2 made said that the case has been reported to the Mpohor police and that was only a reported speech from the information given him by A2. On this note, I pray the court to grant A2 bail as he is well known in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis and ever ready to assist the police. For A1 he must be treated as a victim and granted bail as he has a family to stand for surety. Again, all these charges are all misdemeanour”, he said.

 Mpohor kidnapping and Paa Kwesi Simpson

The Ghanaian media report last month,  Ms Stephanie Kumiwaa had allegedly been abducted at Mpohor in the Western Region.

However, a statement signed by the Western Regional Head of Public Affairs, DSP Olivia Adika said checks at Mpohor Police District Command indicated no such case had been reported.

The Mpohor kidnapping makes it three in a roll, the number of fake kidnapping reported in the Western Region in recent times.

Source: GhanaPlus.com