Three journalists from the Ghanaian Times newspaper who were on their way for the day’s assignment yesterday morning said they were assaulted by about 10 police officers at Kinbu in Accra Central.
The case is being investigated by the Ministries Police Station.
One of the police officers, by name Sergeant Ebenezer Asiedu, has lodged a complaint alleging that he was attacked by the journalists.
Efforts by The Finder to reach the police officer for his side of the story were unsuccessful.
The journalists involved are Mr Malik Sullemana, a court reporter; Mrs Raissa Sambou, a general reporter; and Mr Salifu Abdul Rahman, an assistant editor.
Narrating the incident, Malik Sullemana said a policeman riding on an unregistered motorbike hit Ghanaian Times’ vehicle at about 8:45am and sped off.
According to him, the policeman jumped traffic, but while negotiating his way out, his motor hit the bumper of the Nissan saloon car of Ghanaian Times and broke the mirror and windscreen of the car.
He explained that a pillion motor rider who was with the policeman reportedly saw what happened and tried to stop him, but the policeman rode on.
He noted that the Ghanaian Times driver chased and managed to block the policeman around Kinbu, few metres away from the accident scene.
Sullemana stated that he alighted from the vehicle and started videotaping the police officer.
He said while videotaping, the said policeman attempted to snatch his phone, but he was unsuccessful.
“Angered by the development, the policeman punched my face, and blood gushed out of my nostril.
“As if that was not enough, other policemen and a soldier in uniform joined him to give me the beatings of my life.
“They pushed, kicked, slapped, punched, insulted and head butted me.
“My colleagues – Mr Salifu Abdul Rahaman, a senior deputy editor, and Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu, a reporter – were also heckled,” he narrated.
According to Sullemana, Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu, a journalist who is also a lactating mother collapsed and was rushed to the emergency unit of the Ridge Hospital.
However, he said in the ensuing melee, Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu took his phone and gave it to the driver, one Francis.
“It did not end there. In fact, they insisted that my mobile phone be handed to them while they hand cuffed and bundled me into a police vehicle.
“After the wild goose chase for my phone, they sent me to Ministries Police Station and detained me there for about four hours.
“They ignored my plea to them to send me to hospital for medical attention.
“While lying almost motionless in the police cell, they brought me out and dragged me on the staircase to an office on the second floor.
“At the office, they requested to take my statement, but [I] insisted to write my statement only in the presence of my lawyer” he added.
After this, he said they sent him back into the cell and urged the inmates to beat him up.
“One S. Nukunu, who was at the counter, hit me on the back several times,” he said.
Sullemana stated that few moments later, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) David Eklu, Director of Public Affairs of Ghana Police Service, and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Effia Tenge, Accra Police Public Relations Officer, arrived in the company of some junior policemen.
By this time, he said the Editor of Ghanaian Times, David Agbenu, and the news editor, Matthew Ayinne Ayoo, were waiting at the Crime Office.
At this point, Sullemana said he was brought out from the cell and issued a police medical form and told to return to the Ministries Police Station to write his statement the next day.
According to him, he was sent to Cocoa Clinic at North Kaneshie, treated and discharged.
According to Sullemana, the officers who assaulted him said “journalists only make noise when they are assaulted and that this one too shall pass.
Source: BestNewsGH.com
