Police commence investigation into assault of journalist
The Sekondi District Police Command is investigating an alleged assault on Solomon Amankwah, a sports journalist with Atinka Media Village, Western Region, by General Lance Corporal Prince Mensah of the Regional CID Operations and Intelligence Unit.
A statement signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Olivia ET Adiku, Head, Public Affairs Unit, Western Region and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said preliminary investigation had established that in the early hours of Monday, January 3, 2022, at about 0240 hours, Solomon Amankwah parked his vehicle, a Nissan Sentra with registration number GE 1042-12, at the Sekondi Police Barracks without notice to any Police officer at the station and forgot his ignition key inside his vehicle.
It said he was later spotted searching for a piece of metal in an accident car parked at the Police Station, apparently, to use it to open his car door.
The statement said the police officer arrived at the scene and upon suspicion, questioned him about his activities and warned him to leave the barracks.
It said Solomon Amankwah refused to leave and that compelled the police to arrest him for further interrogations.
The statement said Solomon Amankwah resisted the arrest and the Police Officer applied some “minimum force” to eventually effect his arrest and sent him to the Police Station.
It said it was at the station that police got to know that Solomon Amankwah was a journalist.
The statement said on the same day at about 1445 hours, the Sekondi Divisional Command held a meeting with Management of Atinka Media Village, Western Region and assured them of a thorough investigation into the incident.
It said in as much as the Police Station was a public place to, which the public had unfettered access, no one had the right to interfere with any exhibits at the Station, and certainly no one had the right to attempt to break into an accident vehicle for any purpose.
The statement said it was appropriate to always seek the approval of the Police Officer on duty when intending to leave any personal property at the Police Station, or conduct any personal business on the premises of the station.
It assured the media and public that the Police and the Media were key partners in the promotion of peace and security, law and order, and, therefore, the Police would always strive to maintain that cordial relationship.
Source: GNA