Judge orders journalists not to write in her court

Presiding judge, Justice El-Freda Denkyi, again told the parties involved in the case the court is finding it difficult to get jurors for trial to commence.

She, however, assured lawyers in the matter jurors would be empanelled during the next sitting.

Before she expressed the difficulty of the court to empanel jurors, she indicated she has been told there were some journalists in the courtroom and proceeded to ask them to stand.

Whiles the journalists who were there to report on the matter were on their feet, she ordered none of them should be seen writing in her court.

She stressed, “you are free to observe proceedings but do not record by writing”.

Before the order was given, police officers in the court room had already warned the journalists who were from TV3, GHone, Daily Guide and GBC not to be seen writing or typing on their phones.

The police officers proceeded to tell the clerk of the court about the presence of the journalists through which the Judge was informed.

BACKGROUND

The accused Eric Kojo Duah and Michael Sarfo Ani, have been charged for killing two police officers, General Lance Corporal Mohammed Awal and Lance Corporal Michael Dzamesi on the Kasoa-Budumburam-Accra-Aprah stretch in August 2019.

Last year, the police was advised by the Attorney-General to formally charge Eric Kojo Duah with murder and Michael Sarfo Ani with abetment.

Eric Kojo Duah is accused to have shot and killed two police officers on the Kasoa-Budumburam stretch in August 2019.

Kojo Duah allegedly took turns to shoot and kill General Lance Corporal Mohammed Awal and Lance Corporal Michael Dzamesi who were on task force duty along the Kasoa-Budumburam-Aprah road on August 28, 2019.

The officers according to prosecution asked Eric Duah, who was driving an unregistered vehicle to stop but he ignored them.

The officers who had a service vehicle chased him and Duah allegedly pulled a pistol from his car and shot the officers in turns.

While Awal died on the spot, Dzamesi died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Eric Duah and Michael Sarfo Ani, have since been remanded into lawful custody.

The case has been adjourned to July 28, 2021.