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Pressure group, Coalition for the Defense of Equal Citizenship (CODEC) has condemned the President of Policy Think Tank IMANI GHANA for what it describes as unwarranted prejudicial comment on the Muntie FM contempt case and threats against the Supreme Court judges.

IMANI President Franklin Cudjoe who spoke on Accra based Citi FM over the weekend said the panelist and guests involved in the unprofessional conduct as he put it ‘deserve to rot in jail’.

Mr Cudjoe and his Think Tank which has openly exhibited hatred for the Mahama led government and those associated with the ruling NDC had earlier used their social media platforms to incite a section of the public against the personalities invited by the Court.

Contributing to the subject on Citi FM’s news analysis programme lasy Saturday, Mr Cudjoe said, “You don’t pamper people like this, because these guys sit on radio, they’ve not done it to just one person, they’ve done it to several decent people in this country and we’ve got to deal with them. I say, lock them, put them to jail, let them rot, I don’t care,”

But CODEC is disappointed in the posture of IMANI Ghana, a Policy Think Tank. Convenor of the group, Ali Dawud described the statement as unacceptable and said it should be treated with the contempt that it deserves.

A press statement issued yesterday read, “Our worry at CODEC is that as a think Tank you should not be heard to be interfering in the judiciary processes.

Nobody not even IMANI has the capacity to predetermine for the judiciary to rule in a certain direction when it comes to matters before the court.

Merely on that they could be cited for contempt. The group said” We see this comments by Franklin Cudjoe as unfortunate taking into consideration the fact that the case in which he sought to suggest an outcome for the Supreme Court is currently before the court awaiting hearing. His comments require condemnation from all and sundry as the Supreme Court has the capacity and mandate to determine what to do on cases before them.

On this specific case, we cannot understand that Franklin could comment on an issue that is pending before the judges for determination. His actions are in bad taste and an affront to the rights of people who appear before the courts for fair hearing” he adds

He also called on the Supreme Court to cite Mr. Cudjoe for contempt for commenting on an issue which is before the courts.

“Anybody that finds themselves in this situation should be worried because it is a palpable grounds to be cited for contempt. Contempt is not only when you pass comments allegedly that threaten the lives of judges or passing judgment whiles the matter is before the court but also when you attempt to authorize, pin point or direct judges how severe the punishment to the culprits should be.

There must be a universal application of the law of contempt and IMANI should not be an exception when the axes of the law are falling”.. Mr Dawood noted.

He further explained in a radio interview that, “The laws are clear on the contempt. Article 19 of the Constitution says no person can be punished when the offence has not been prescribed in the laws of Ghana. It further says the Constitution has given the court inherent powers to charge persons before it for contempt.

What I need to add is that you could commit contempt either inside or outside the court. You can be inside the Courtroom and be browsing on your phone when you aren’t supposed to do that and you could be cited for contempt. You can also make comments outside of the court and be cited for contempt and so what Franklin Cudjoe did is to pass judgment even before the judges sit on the matter. That is unacceptable”.

CODEC’s position stems from the fact that President of IMANI Ghana must be making informed statements and not be swayed by skewed public opinion and deliberate twist to provoke the Judges.

“. That certainly is unacceptable and that is why I insist that he should be summoned before the court” he added.

He said the coalition won’t hesitate to personally petition the Supreme Court over the matter if the Court itself fails to summon Mr Cudjoe before it.