The state-owned media company, Ghanaian Times will petition the Information Ministry to seek justice for the three journalists who were assaulted by some policemen.
The three, one of whom is a nursing mother, were allegedly assaulted by a police officer who rammed his motor bicycle into their vehicle.
The police officer took offence when the three queried him and subsequently assaulted them.
Speaking to Citi News, the Editor of the Ghanaian Times newspaper, David Agbenu noted that his outfit will soon make available a report on the attack to the Information Ministry, for onward forwarding to the Interior Ministry for appropriate actions to be taken.
“We needed to talk to our lawyer so the lawyer is also attending to the issue after which the petition will be sent to the [Interior] Minister,” he said.
One of the reporters, Raissa Sambo was said to be on admission at the Ridge Hospital after she was reportedly assaulted by a police officer with the motor transport department around the Kinbu Lorry Park in Accra on Thursday.
The other reporters Malik Suleman and Salifu Abdul Rahman were said to have been detained by the police for a while before they were released.
‘Assault on journalists becoming common in Ghana’
Assault on journalists in Ghana is becoming a common phenomenon with police officers being among the perpetrators.
In the last two years, there have been more than 15 of such reported cases.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has also said it has recorded about 62 of such incidents against journalists in the last four years.
“Despite the several reported incidents of violations against journalists, the punishment of perpetrators has been very rare, if any at all. This culture of impunity for crimes against journalists only emboldens perpetrators and encourages others to abuse journalists at the least opportunity. Many reported crimes go investigated or end with the mere pronouncement by the police to the effect that investigations have commenced,” the MFWA has said in one of its reports.
The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has also condemned the assault and called on the police to fish out the officer who perpetrated the act and punish him accordingly.
–
By: Marian Ansah| citinewsroom.com| Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah