Graphic reporter found in contempt of parliament

The Graphic Communications parliamentary reporter, Mark Anthony Vinorkor has been found in contempt of parliament for alleged misleading reporting about the laying of the constitutional instrument 94.

The privileges committee of parliament that investigated the matter is recommending he is summoned to appear before the bar of the house to be reprimanded.

Parliament banned the parliamentary correspondent for the Daily Graphic, July 16 and referred him to the Privileges Committee over alleged misreporting.

Joy News has a copy of the committee's report set to be considered Wednesday, August 3.

The Report
The report signed by the chairman of the Privileges Committee, Ebo Barton Odro concluded in their hearing that the Graphic newspaper reporter, Mark Anthony Vinorkor admitted publishing an inaccurate and misleading report on the laying of the constitutional instrument 94 in parliament.

In the said report, Mr Vinorkor sought to accuse parliament of smuggling provisions on punishment into the CI 94 contrary to article 11 clause 7 of the constitution after laying the CI in the house.

The report says prior to the referral to the privileges committee, Mr Vinorkor was offered the opportunity to purge himself of the contemptuous publication in the presence of the leadership of parliament, the clerk and the speaker at which he apologised for his unethical conduct.

The report, however, notes the further publication of falsehood in the graphic day after his apology.

In arriving at the decision to summon him before the bar of the house, the committee noted a threatening text message sent to the dean of the parliamentary press corps in which Mr Vinorkor made it clear he was not going to honour any invitation by parliament.

The recommendation for parliament's consideration is for Mr Vinorkor to whilst appearing at the bar of the house renders an unqualified apology to the house, purging himself of the contempt.

The report also recommends the withdrawal of his parliamentary press corps accreditation and further made to undertake a bond to be of good behaviour in his professional practice, failure to which he will attract very punitive sanctions by parliament.

The Graphic Communications Group is also recommended to render an unqualified apology to the house and publish same on three separate occasions in the print and electronic media.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim