Veteran journalist Malik Kweku Baako has reined in New Patriotic Party sympathizer, Fadi Dabboussi for his offensive comments which earned him a BNI detention.
On several occasions, Fadi used his writings in the media to make what many considered disparaging comments against the person of Ghana’s president John Mahama.
For instance, he alleged that President Mahama impregnated the daughter of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and also went further to question the president’s HIV status.
Government said he was arrested and detained by the BNI for questioning the capacity and morality of President Mahama to lead Ghana. Commenting on the issue Saturday, Kweku Baako condemned Fadi’s writings on Mahama which he described as false.
They are “serious and hugely offensive”, the ace journalist said on Joy FM’s Newsfile. Claims about Otumfuo’s daughter were “completely useless”, he commented.
According to him, Fadi had relied on stories already publicized by “none existing and fake” media organizations which he noted were disaster and cautioned people to be very careful what they read and accept as truth.
Mr. Baako however found the use of state institutions to haunt people that do not end in prosecution unnecessary. “Some of these things, as much as the stories are bad, and I will sit here and say false, I think sometimes official rebuttals, effective official rebuttals can cure the mischief and then we can move on so that it doesn’t attract undue attention for institutions of state,” he advised.
Remorseful Fadi Fadi Dabboussi recounted how he was treated nicely by the BNI while in their custody. He said he was never beaten or subjected to any inhumane treatment as he recalled that “they (BNI) were extremely concerned when I went on hunger strike”. He told Newsfile host Samson Lardi Anyenini that though he “didn’t mean evil” when he wrote those articles, he regrets the inference readers made out of his writings.
He therefore promised that he would in future be careful not to rely on false information to put same out. He therefore apologized for the stories and said he was “sorry”.