Affail Monney
THE GHANA Journalists Association (GJA) has lauded the Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu, for directing the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to take over the case of assault against Multimedia Group reporter, Latif Iddrisu, from the Cantonments Police Command.
In a statement issued by its President, Affail Monney, GJA indicated that it had been following with keen interest developments on the handling of the case by the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
Latif Iddrisu was reportedly assaulted by four police personnel on the premises of the CID in Accra this year when he was sent to cover the arrest of deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, who was being held by the police for “coup” threats against President Akufo-Addo.
The Multimedia Group reported later that he (Latif) had been diagnosed with fractured skull after the incident, threatening to sue the GPS.
GJA also waded into the matter and threatened to go to court to seek justice for the victim who is a member of the Association.
As part of efforts to seek justice for Iddrisu, GJA ordered a boycott of a workshop aimed at promoting police-media relations organized on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, by the Police Service.
Following the announcement of the boycott at a news conference held on July 6, 2018, the statement indicated: “The police issued two press releases – the first issued on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, and the second on Friday, July 13, 2018, with both seeking to clarify the matter.”
It added that “the GJA welcomes the directive by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to the CID Headquarters to take over investigations of the assault case from the Cantonments Police as contained in the second press release. We find this directive very reassuring and hope it would yield positive results.”
It said: “In the first press release titled, ‘Update: Assault On Joy News Reporter Latif Iddrisu’, and signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, ACP David Eklu, the police claimed in paragraph 8 that, ‘He [Latif] was also issued a police medical report form, which he is yet to return to police.’ This claim was false because, according to Latif, he returned the medical report form to the police on the very day he filed his written statement.”
The statement added that “the GJA is happy to learn that in the second press release titled, “Re-update: Assault On Joy News Reporter Latif Iddrisu”, and signed by the Director of Public Affairs, DSP Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, the police admitted the false claim referenced above when it stated in paragraph 2 that, ‘The CID headquarters’ perusal of the case docket shows that Mr. Iddris has returned the medical form issued to him by Police’”. This honest admission of falsehood suggests to us that the police, more than ever before as construed by the false claims in the first press release, are now committed to investigating the assault case.”
It noted that “while assuring the police of our fullest support and co-operation in this matter, and also our commitment to strengthening police-media relations, we wish to state categorically that the GJA will not blink an eye on this case until justice is delivered to Latif.”
BY Melvin Tarlue