Court reverses Peter Essoka’s Communication Council sanctions

A Yaoundé court has reversed a decision which the Peter Essoka-led National Communication Council NCC, took on November 27, suspending four journalists of the Anecdote Media group for six and three months.

The court reversed the decision Thursday December 11, bringing to naught, controversial sanctions on two of the journalists who were issued a six-month and three-month suspension.

One of the journalists, Ernest Obama who works for Vision 4 television had been issued a six month ban. He is the presenter of a programme called ‘Décryptages’. His colleague Parfait Ayissi Etoa, presenter of ‘Arrêt majeur’ on the same TV station was prohibited from practicing journalism for 3months.

Sources say the decision of the NCC has not been cancelled, though both journalists have been given the freedom to continue working. The court is said to have awarded a temporary reinstitution of their liberty to practice, while awaiting the verdict of a suit which the CEO of Anecdote Media group, Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga filed against the NCC at the Yaoundé Court of First Instance.

The duo were sanctioned following claims that they failed to guide panellists who said things the council judged as inappropriate in their respective TV programmes.

The court while reversing the NCC decision stated that it was abnormal for the council to sanction the journalists without giving them a right of reply which would have been a fair opportunity for people to respond to allegations made by guests in the programmes.

The administrative court also criticised the decision which contrary to regulations, was signed by a single official instead of the members who deliberated over complaints before meting out sanctions.