One of the lawyers for convicted presenter and two panelists of an Accra-based Montie FM says a petition meant to compel the President to give a reprieve to the three men will set him on a collision course with the Judiciary.
George Loh says contrary to what Ghanaians are made to believe, their petition does not constitute a demand on President John Mahama to pardon the convicted men at all cost, but rather a plea for him to consider lessening the four months jail terms handed to them.
"What people don't understand is that we are not putting a gun on the head of the President to give a reprieve to the three men. He can decide to pardon them or not. We are only pleading with him to do something about their custodial sentences," he said.
Mr Loh, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Dayi, disclosed this to Nana Ansah Kwao, host of MultiTV's news analysis programme, PM Express.
The Supreme Court (SC) handed a four months jail term and GHC10,000 each to a presenter, Salifu Maase popularly known as Mugabe and two presenters, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn all of Montie FM for scandalising the court.
They were summoned and sentenced by the Court. The owners of the station were also handed a penalty of GHC30,000 and directed to submit programme guidelines for their radio stations.
This angered supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) who have been signing a petition to compel the President to pardon the three men.
Even though many political analysts have warned such calls could create problems between the Executive arm of goverment and the Judiciary, Mr Loh says they are not pressurising the President to compulsorily do their bidding.
He said the decision remain with the President to either activate his powers in Article 72 of the 1992 Constitution or not.
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