Editor of The Newscenta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has accused the government of orchestrating the arrest of NPP youth activist Alfred Ababio Kumi, also known as Adenta Kumi, to divert public attention from a viral video allegedly showing Supreme Court justices dining with a petitioner’s lawyer.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, May 26, Darko argued that the timing of Kumi’s arrest was deliberate, suggesting it was meant to distract from mounting criticism over the footage.

“What happened was a strategy used by the government. When an issue comes and the government realises that we are under serious pressure from the public, they try to take certain actions so that it diverts public attention,” he said.

The video at the center of the controversy allegedly shows Justices Pwamang and Adibu-Asiedu, along with Supreme Court Justice Yonni Kulendi, dining with Thaddeus Sory, lawyer for petitioner Daniel Ofori, on May 15—the same day the committee investigating the Chief Justice held its inaugural sitting.

According to Darko, the footage sparked widespread public concern, and the government, “feeling the heat,” sought to shift focus by arresting Kumi.

“The video was the talk of the town, and in my own opinion, the government felt the pressure and decided to divert attention, and that is why they did what they did,” he asserted.

Kumi was arrested by operatives of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) on Friday, May 23, and later charged with the publication of false news.

His petition to President John Dramani Mahama questioned the neutrality of the justices on the committee, citing the alleged dinner as a possible conflict of interest.

Darko insisted the petition followed due process and criticized the arrest as an abuse of power.

“Arrest Adenta Kumi for what? The person brought what he had and followed the process, and petitioned the President. The President is yet to respond to the petition, so why arrest him?” he asked.