Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has challenged the argument that the police should not act against one person simply because another person accused of a similar offence has not been arrested.
Bernard Baidoo used an example to make his point during a discussion of the Ghana Jollof case on Newsfile on JoyNews
“So if a thief steals in Bolga and is not arrested, another thief who steals in Accra should not” he asked.
He said this to reject claims that US-based Ghanaian journalist Kevin Taylor has been operating on the same wavelength as Ghana Jollof, yet he has not been arrested.
Bernard Baidoo said Sections 207 and 208 of the Criminal Offences Act remain valid laws and have been used by successive governments.
Section 208 covers the publication of false news likely to cause fear and alarm, while Section 207 deals with offensive conduct likely to result in a breach of the peace.
He acknowledged that people may question the way the laws are applied, but argued that such concerns should not mean that a suspected offence should not be investigated.
He also pointed out that Parliament has the power to repeal the provisions if lawmakers believe they should no longer remain on the books.
The issue of selective enforcement forms part of the ongoing discussion around the Ghana Jollof case, particularly because similar laws have been used under different administrations.
The Media Foundation for West Africa has also raised concerns about what it describes as discriminatory use of false-news laws.
