Emmanuel Ajafor with his lawyer, Sampson Lardi Ayenini
An Accra High Court has discharged two reporters of online portal, Modern Ghana, and another reporter with Accra-based Peace FM who were arrested for allegedly engaging in cybercrime and stealing.
Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri and Emmanuel Britwum were picked up in Accra last week by National Security operatives for allegedly engaging in cybercrime activities.
An Editor of Peace FM, Emmanuel Yaw Obeng Manu, was later arrested and charged for the same alleged offences.
The three faced three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing and unauthorized access to electronic records.
But an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botchwey, discharged the three after a State Attorney, Stella Ohene Appiah, told the court that they do not intend to proceed with the case at this stage “due to some developments.”
“We wish to inform the court that we are no longer proceeding with the presentation of the case. Some developments came up while waiting for the team and they wish to do some follow-ups before they can proceed,” the state attorney told the court.
The presiding judge subsequently struck out the case and discharged the accused persons.
Speaking to reporters, Sampson Ayenini, who represents Ajarfor, stated that the decision by the state to drop the case shows that his client did no wrong.
Arrest
Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri and Emmanuel Britwum were arrested after national security operatives closed in on them for allegedly engaging in inappropriate cybercrime activities.
Their arrests and the accompanying debate which have taken on a political garb have engaged the public space in the past few days, especially after Emmanuel Ajarfor’s claim of torture at the hands of their captors.
Emmanuel Ajarfor has been referred to hospital for medical examination to authenticate his claim that he was subjected to an assortment of torture, including elbowing and electric shocks.
Nat. Sec. Statement
However, a statement from the National Security Council Secretariat rubbished the claim of the suspect and stated that the suspect, upon being handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), was quickly referred for medical examination.
“We are confident that the results of the medical examination will present the truth in the matter, so as to inform the appropriate steps to be taken,” the statement assured Ghanaians.
Confusion
While Emmanuel Ajarfor alleged he was manhandled by National Security operatives, his colleague reporter Emmanuel Britwum said he was not tortured during their brief incarceration in custody of the National Security.
Emmanuel Britwum’s torture denial story is in sharp contrast to that of his colleague, Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri, who claimed he was turned upside down and subjected to a terrible physical ordeal, including electrical shocks by state security operatives.
He said in a statement through Debora Asabere-Ameyaw, on Wednesday evening that “he neither witnessed Mr. Ajarfor being ‘tortured’ nor did he elect anyone to speak publicly on his behalf on the matter.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak