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Breakdown of
ethics, the case of the UK cocaine girls
By Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA
When news broke that two British teenage girls had been
arrested at Kotoka International Airport for possessing
substances suspected to be cocaine, there were some of us,
journalists, who believed strongly that they would be given
preferential treatment. First was the point that they would
turn out to be the wrong people or that they could be let
loose in no time.
The first thought came in somehow when they turned out not
to be white! But the second could not be since it was fast
established that they were the right persons. Thus they were
arraigned before court and as usual, it generated a lot of
interest, drug trials becoming common these days in Ghana.
Therefore, the journey began. Coverage of the trial
generated debate, commentary and what have you to the point
where the media decided to not only publish their names, but
their pictures! This decision to publish their identities
has created a problem. The new twist is that the Journalists
who disclosed the identities of the two British juveniles
could be facing jail term of 12 months.
According to an Ms Barbara Sackey, an Attorney at the
Attorney General’s Department, it is against the law to
publish the names and pictures of juveniles involved in
criminal cases.
“In some of the newspapers you have the pictures of the
juveniles; this would lead to the disclosure of their
identities. Such particular act was illegal,” she explained.
She said notwithstanding the fact that the Narcotics Control
Board released the names to the media houses, the latter
still stands the risk of going to jail.
“The penalties will be for a term not exceeding 12 months or
a fine of 250 penalty units.”
It is most interesting that this should happen. The fact
being that we could all be carried away like that without
recourse to what the law required. This is even besides what
the Ethics of the profession stands for.
We all know that is illegal under section three of the
Juvenile Justice Act 653 of Ghana to disclose the identities
of minors in custody, regardless of the offence.
The A-G’s department does not intend to prosecute any media
house now but has served notice that henceforth any
journalist that falls foul of the law would be prosecuted.
A number of my colleagues are of the opinion that it is
“discriminatory and unfortunate” to use the British teens’
case to remind them of something they not only knew of and
had been practicing all these years.
Sabine Zanker, Head of the Legal Team of a London advocacy
group, Fair Trials Abroad is pushing for the prosecution of
journalists who have violated the law.
His position? That it will serve as an example and make
others more careful.
The Ghana Journalists Association on its part has made it
clear that it will refer the matter to its disciplinary
committee for appropriate action against all media houses
found culpable.
They argue that the publication of the pictures and names of
the girls does not only violate the law but also breaches
the GJA's code of ethics.
True as this case may be, a number of others think it is
just right that people, who choose to dance in the public
place, should not complain that all eyes are prying on them.
It is will be known if they dance well or not. Why? The two
16-year olds chose to carry cocaine through the KIA when
they knew very well that it was wrong.
I can hear someone saying in the background there that they
were lured into it. Fact is they are not dumb; and 16 year
olds in London, a developed world are not the same as 16
year olds in anywhere else in Africa and for that matter
Ghana.
I can say for sure that I have come across very smart,
intelligent and articulate 10-year olds in the United
Kingdom as in the Unites States of America, who will in no
doubt make the mistake that these two 16-year olds have
committed. Therefore, what is the argument being advanced
that the two girls are juveniles and may not have been aware
of what they were doing?
Worse still is the argument that their names and identities
should not have been disclosed. I appreciate the dictates of
the law and our own ethics, but my question is this: Can a
man carry coal in his chest and not get burnt?
Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA, July 21, Ghanadot.com
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