The Director of Operations at the Ministry of National Security, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, is expected to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigations and “appropriate action” over his involvement in the assault on Citi News’ journalist, Caleb Kudah, and the invasion of Citi FM.
This was disclosed in a statement from the Ministry signed by the sector minister, Kan Dapaah.
“The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman (Director of Operations) at the Ministry has been reversed. The officer is to report to the Chief of Defence for further investigations and appropriate action.”
There were several calls for Lt. Col Agyeman’s dismissal after he was linked to the physical assault on Caleb Kudah.
The statement also indicated that three other police officers involved in the assault on Caleb Kudah had been withdrawn from the Ministry.
The three are to face disciplinary action from the Ghana Police Service.
“The three (3) police officers involved have been withdrawn and are to report to the Ghana Police Service of investigation and disciplinary action.”
The investigation and subsequent outcome may be seen as a first in Ghana’s constitutional history, given that the National Security Ministry, after investigating itself on claims of assault brought against its agents by a member of the public makes findings that implicate its own officers and consequently condemn their conduct as flying in the face of their standard operating procedures.
Caleb Kudah was arrested for filming some abandoned cars at the Ministry of National Security, a supposed restricted security zone.
He was at the Ministry to verify a claim by an official of MASLOC that all the cars had been given out, following complaints about the wastage of public funds on social media.
A team of heavily-armed SWAT police officers was subsequently dispatched to arrest Citi News‘ Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo at the premises of Citi FM/Citi TV.
This is because Caleb had forwarded the footage he captured to Zoe via WhatsApp.
Following his release, Caleb recounted harrowing experiences during his time with the National Security operatives, saying he was slapped several times and kicked in the groin.