Sarah Kwablah should shut up! [opinion]

I was shocked to hear that the picture which accompanied Daily Guide's [News-One] publication about one Sarah Kwabla threatening to release a sex video involving her and the captain of Black Stars, Asamoah Gyan, was a wrong picture.

Almost all news websites across the country have published the same story with additional pictures of the Sarah Kwabla who claims she is not the one the story is talking about.

The lady who spoke on Joy News indicated that although she has the same name as the 22 year old girl, Sarah Kwabla, she has been mistakenly identified as the lady who was indeed involved in the Asamoah Gyan sex scandal.

“The picture there is me but I’m not the one who they are talking of. I feel very bad especially when my friends call me talking about this issue while I am not the one. I have a Facebook page and I use the same name, Sarah Kwabla. It was taken from Facebook but it’s not me. I don’t even know Asamoah Gyan. I’ve not met him before. I have nothing doing with him,” she cried out.

Few minutes later, she was heard on Hitz FM, a sister radio station of Joy FM, talking on the same issue.

When the editor of News-One, Halifax Ansah-Addo was called to find out where he got the picture and what checks he made before their publication, he said his sources confirmed it.

“I had it from the same sources who gave me the story. I did a little crosscheck and as at the time I put the picture out there, my editorial team and I had every cause to believe it was the Sarah Kwabla we were talking about.”

As the interview went on, Halifax stated that if it comes out that his outfit used a wrong picture, he is willing to apologise to her by any means deemed fit and acceptable by the lady.

“We are still cross-checking. But if it happens that I am guilty, if she even wants me to go on my knees, I will go on my knees. If she wants me to retract, I will retract. If she wants to go to court, I will say ‘go ahead’”.

With all these said, I was surprised to have heard the same Sarah Kwabla speak on the same issue on Okay FM Thursday morning. What does she hope to achieve? Does she not know that she is muddying the waters? Speaking on radio will not solve the matter. In any case, her first point of complain should have been Daily Guide who published the story or perhaps the National Media Commission. Assuming without admitting that she did not know her left from right when hit by the news, she should not have spoken to any other media house on the issue after her first interview.

Yes, it is humiliating to be mistakenly identified for any unhealthy act, however, there are avenues for remedy on the part of the publishers. There is nothing wrong with Ms. Kwabla speaking to media houses. I understand perfectly that she feels bad and wants the populace to know that she is not the Sarah Kwabla in the alleged sex scandal. She should halt and speak to a lawyer for the best way forward. The Settlement Committee of National Media Commission (NMC) is there to mediate complaints against media houses and maintain high journalistic standards.