Police CID Begins Investigations Into Attack On Journalists By NPP Men

The Police Criminal Investigations Department in Accra has commenced investigations into the attack on four journalists by some vigilantes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the party’s headquarters late last year.

A TV3 journalist and the others from Ghanaweb and Citi FM were covering a demonstration by aggrieved supporters of the NPP from the Ellembelle in the Western Region of Ghana when they were physically assaulted by some heavily-built men manning the party headquarters.

The incident took place on December 21, 2017.

The party leadership have since not commented on the matter, something that prompted the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) to petition the Inspector General of Police  and chairman of the NPP.

A month down the line, the Police Criminal Investigations Department on March 2 and 5, 2018 invited officials of the MFWA to seek further information and clarification on the assault on the journalists – Godfred Tenam, Prince Afum, Ebenezer Ackah, and Marie-Franz Fordjoe.

“The investigations comes a month after the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) petitioned the acting chairman of the NPP and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that the perpetrators of the attacks are punished”, a statement issued by the Foundation Thursday said.

It commended the Ghana Police Service for responding to the call to investigate the matter and urged them “to do a thorough job to ensure justice for the victims”.

“We call on the journalists and the managements of their various media organisations to cooperate with the Police to enable them carry out a successful investigation,” it appealed.

It has meanwhile expressed disappointment with the leadership of the NPP for not acknowledging the petition or acting on it.

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