The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has expressed worried over lack of action by state actors over the arrest of killers of Ahmed Hussein Suale, four years after his murder.
It would be recalled that Monday, January 16, 2023, exactly four (4) years since the Investigative Journalist was murdered in cold blood around his family house in Madina, Accra but, the perpetrators of this heinous crime remain an enigma and are walking free.
Ahmed Saule, an undercover Reporter was shot dead by unidentified assailants reportedly on motorbikes while he was driving home from work at Madina, a suburb of Accra.
He was a member of Tiger Eye Private Investigation team and was involved in a corruption investigation led by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The Team uncovered corruption in Ghana’s football in a documentary captioned “Number 12”.
In spite of the incessant calls by the GJA, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) among others, for the killers to be arrested and prosecuted, no concrete progress has been made by the security institutions.
The Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, at a forum organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa, expressed worry over the delay in arresting the perpetrators. Similarly, President Nana Akufo-Addo, at the Annual GJA Dinner Night on December 21, 2022, commented on the delay in rounding up the perpetrators and assured the GJA that he will ensure that the murderers are brought to book.
In a statement, commemorating the death of Suale, the GJA said it finds the delay in arresting the killers of Ahmed Suale as a blot on the security agencies.
The Association is therefore, calling on them to expedite action on the case.
“GJA is saddened by the deafening silence and lack of action by the state authorities responsible for law enforcement to bring the perpetrators of the murder to book,” the Association noted.
“Many practitioners are still haunted by the murder of Ahmed and all journalists who have been attacked in the line of duty. Some have been cowed and are no longer daring enough to pursue investigative journalism. The GJA hereby encourages all investigative journalists to continue to do their work in the interest of the State.
“We also wish to assure all journalists and the family of Ahmed Suale that the GJA stands with them in this trying moment and will continue to ensure that justice is served in the interest of the family of Ahmed Suale and the nation by pushing for closure to the case,” the statement signed by the GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour read.
By Vincent Kubi