The Presidential Commission investigating the botched 2014 World Cup in Brazil has made a scapegoat out of a sports journalist accused of mudslinging and running down the Commission.
Samuel Joachim Bokeem who works for Hello FM in Kumasi is reported to have said unprintable things about the Commission.
He is also deemed to have described the Commission’s work as a drain on the country’s meager resources.
He was hauled before the Commission on Thursday together with his General Manager, Kwasi Brenya to justify the comments made on his show.
A member of the Commission’s Panel and a veteran sports journalist, Moses Foh-Amoaning expressed disgust at what he said was “an agenda by the Kumasi media to malign and vilify the commission.”
He was even more appalled by the rationale for some of the criticisms, and outright insults in the media landscape.
He said the media is gradually losing the moral right to question politicians.
When interrogated by the Commission’s panel, a remorseful Joachim Bokeem said his “layman opinion went beyond what was acceptable” and duly apologised for his comments.
He said he has since learnt his lessons and has become a student of the commission.
He also promised to be a “good ambassador of the commission.”
The Commission Chair Justice Senyo Dzamefe, having considered the apology by the sports journalist, decided to “let him off the hook.”
“This the first time and so we will let you go. This is a public commission, it’s not wasting government money,” he reminded.
He tasked the journalist and his media house to come with a formal apology on Friday.
On Monday former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who appeared before the commission also cited Asempa FM’s Patrick Osei Agyemang popularly called Fire man songo for alleged insults and allegations and challenged the sports journalist to appear before the commission to defend his accussations.
