A known sympathiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Theophilus Thompson, has been remanded into custody after he pleaded not guilty in court to charges of assaulting journalist, Latif Iddrisu, during a protest staged by the NPP in front of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) in Accra.
At his arraignment yesterday, Thompson denied the charges, and his defence counsel argued that he is not a flight risk, has a fixed place of residence, and should therefore be granted bail.
Citing section 97(4) of Act 30, the lawyer emphasised that “the court shall not refuse or withdraw bail merely as a form of punishment.”
However, the State Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Olivia Ofori-Atta, opposed the bail request, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation and the fact that other suspects remain at large. She expressed concern that granting bail could compromise the collection of evidence or enable interference with witnesses.
The defence countered that the prosecution had not presented any proof to substantiate claims of possible interference by the accused.
The court, ultimately, sided with the prosecution, denying bail and remanding Thompson into custody. The case has been adjourned to June 18, 2025.
The assault occurred on May 27, 2025, around 7:00pm. The demonstration, involving some Members of Parliament and NPP supporters, was in response to the arrest of the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
During the protest, Latif Iddrisu, who was covering the event for JoyNews, was confronted and assaulted by some demonstrators. Following investigations, on June 7, 2025, at about 5:00 pm, the Regional Police Command arrested Theophilus Thompson, aged 55, at Jamestown in connection with the assault.
The police have stated that efforts are underway to identify and arrest other individuals involved in the incident.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs, Accra Region, Supt Juliana Obeng reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting the rights of journalists and ensuring that anyone who engages in acts of violence against media personnel or any member of the public is brought to justice.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke