Police to pursue justice for assaulted journalists-- IGP assures GJA

By: Mary Mensah, ACCRA
Police to pursue justice for assaulted journalists-- IGP assures GJA
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Alhassan, has assured the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) that it will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is served in the assault against the two Multimedia journalists at Senchi in the Eastern Region.
He described the incident as very unfortunate and said the police administration took a serious view of brutality perpetrated by its personnel against civilians.
Mr Alhassan said whenever such incidents occurred everything possible was done to get to the bottom of the matter, irrespective of the victim’s status.
Serious attention
At a meeting with the GJA executives at the Police Headquarters in Accra last Tuesday, the IGP said the case was receiving serious attention; the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was investigating the criminal aspect while the Police Professional and Intelligence Bureau (PIPS) was also investigating the conduct of the policemen.
He said the police recognised the very important role of the media in modern-day policing and would do everything to maintain the cordial relationship that already existed between the two institutions.
“We are in a democratic dispensation where freedom of speech is revered, and the police will not be part of any effort  to stifle it”, he said.
Mr Alhassan indicated that the police appreciated the essence of the media in any democratic state and this had informed the service to initiate measures to foster a cordial relationship with the media.
The police, he said, would not do anything to jeopardise that friendship.
GJA to defend members
The President of the GJA, Mr Roland Affail Monney, indicated that the GJA executives visit to the Police Headquarters was to meant to make a formal complaint and demand the immediate investigation and subsequent punishment of the perpetrators of the brutal assault on some journalists.
Mr Monney said as the umbrella body of journalists in the country, the GJA would at always defend their members who were mistreated in their line of duty.
He, however, expressed the association’s appreciation of the police’s swift response to the incident and added that the current achievements chalked up by the police administration could not have happened without the unflinching support of the media.
The President of the GJA commended the IGP for his effective leadership which had led to the general public’s respect for the police administration and added that the bad lots should not be allowed to tarnish the police’s hard-won reputation.
Last week, two police officers, Django Fatau and Mr Tetteh shoved aside Joy News’ reporter, Matilda Wemegah and slapped the cameraman, David McCarthy, for filming a scuffle between the policemen and a trailer driver on the Senchi ferry in the Eastern Region.
Quick  Read
The Police Administration is investigating the alleged assault of two journalists from the Multimedia Group at Senchi in the Eastern Region.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and  the Police Professional and Intelligence Bureau (PIPS) are investigating the case.