Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, has defended Mohammed Zakou, an activist of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who was arrested over a social media post concerning Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
According to the MP, per the statement he has seen from the activist, his statement was not malicious but rather a call for the Vice President to take a break from work due to exhaustion.
Speaking in an interview on Oyerepa TV on April 15, 2025, Shaib explained that Zakou’s message was misunderstood. “The guy’s statement said that the Vice President is like a mother to him, and she went through a tough campaign.
“He believes she is tired and should take some rest…I am telling you what he has written in his statement. I will not encourage anybody to say, ‘rest in peace,’ but people have said similar things about Akufo-Addo.”
Shaib also criticized the security officials for allegedly breaking the law by detaining Zakou for more than 48 hours.
He added, “Even if he had said rest in peace, must he be kept in custody for more than 48 hours?”
Mohammed Zakou was granted bail to the tune of GH¢100,000 with two sureties after appearing before the Achimota Circuit Court on Monday, April 14, 2025.
As part of the bail conditions, Zakou is required to report to the investigator once a week.
The case has been adjourned to May 12, 2025, for a case management conference.
On April 4, 2025, at approximately 4:00 a.m., Zakou made a Facebook post featuring a photo of Professor Opoku-Agyemang with the caption, “Rest well, Your Excellency,” accompanied by crying emojis.
The post, which many interpreted as implying her demise, came just six days after an official government statement announced that the Vice President had received medical treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) following a sudden illness on March 28, 2025.
The communiqué further indicated that the Vice President would seek additional treatment abroad to ensure a full recovery.
Zakou’s post drew widespread backlash from Facebook users, who condemned him for spreading false information and misleading the public. Many criticized the post as reckless and insensitive.
Zakou was reportedly picked up by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) over the weekend for interrogation regarding his comments. His arrest has sparked debates about freedom of speech and the limits of social media expression.
AM/KA
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