PRESS STATEMENT
For Immediate Release
December 29, 2025

The Private Newspapers and Online News Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) registers its profound concern and disappointment at the recent ruling by Justice Nana Brew of the Human Rights Court 2 in Accra, which granted an interlocutory injunction against investigative journalist Innocent Samuel Appiah.

The decision, which temporarily restrains Mr. Appiah from publishing the findings of his investigation into alleged corruption involving Cynthia Adjei and the Lysaro Group, raises serious questions about judicial support for press freedom and accountability in Ghana.

PRINPAG views this ruling as a worrying development with the potential to set a dangerous precedent that undermines the constitutional duty of the media as the Fourth Estate. The injunction—issued prior to the publication of any investigative report—amounts to a form of prior restraint that risks weakening public interest journalism and shielding suspected wrongdoing from legitimate scrutiny.

Further, the suggestion that journalists should limit their work to collaborating with state investigative bodies such as EOCO misrepresents the media’s constitutionally mandated role as independent watchdogs. The media’s responsibility is not to act as an extension of state institutions, but to pursue the truth in the interest of the public.

It is deeply concerning that in a matter involving alleged links to public influence and state-related transactions, the court accepted the position that the respondents are insulated from public accountability solely on the basis of private business status. Ghana’s democracy cannot thrive where individuals who benefit from proximity to public office are beyond journalistic scrutiny.

While PRINPAG respects the judiciary and the legal processes available in our democratic system, we believe this ruling risks empowering a wider trend in which public office holders and affiliates exploit legal mechanisms to frustrate media oversight. This trajectory is incompatible with Ghana’s commitment to transparency and the fight against corruption.

PRINPAG therefore urges Mr. Innocent Samuel Appiah to file an appeal, and we stand ready to provide all appropriate legal and institutional support. Our position is guided not only by a defense of one journalist, but by the broader responsibility to protect the Ghanaian public’s right to know.

We wish to state clearly that investigative journalism remains a critical public service, not an adversarial act. Far from deterring our efforts, this development strengthens our collective resolve. As part of our response, PRINPAG is consulting stakeholders toward establishing mechanisms to independently verify and further investigate matters of significant public interest raised in this case.

We call on the Judicial Service of Ghana to reflect carefully on the implications of rulings that may unintentionally appear to hinder press freedom and weaken national anti-corruption efforts. The courts must be seen as partners in the pursuit of accountability, not as havens for those seeking to avoid public examination.

The media will not relent in its duty. We urge Ghanaians, civil society groups, and international partners to stand with us to safeguard press freedom, democratic integrity, and the principles of transparency upon which our Republic is built.

Signed,
DAVID SITSOPE TAMAKLOE
President, PRINPAG
0244709816