A journalist with the Skyy Media Group in the Western regional capital, Takoradi has been assaulted by a police officer for questioning why the officer who was sitting on a motorbike did not have a crash helmet on.
The Akan News caster with Skyy Power FM, Nana Kwaku Kyei Abeam, popularly known as Akyeamehene was on his way to Accra on Tuesday when the incident occurred.
The police officer, Constable Wilson with the Visibility Unit of the Sekondi Police, is said to have been incensed by the query and proceeded to brutalize the journalist.
The victim told Joy News correspondent Francis Whajah that he noticed that the rider of the motorbike the police officer was sitting on had no helmets.
So, “I prompted the policeman and asked why he, who is expected to enforce the law is engaged in breaking the law,” the journalist said.
He said shortly after his reprimand, the motor rider carelessly crossed the vehicle he was sitting in, almost causing an accident.
“He then came to my side of the vehicle, opened the door and started slapping me.
“He and the motor rider held me and dragged me on the street and sent me to Nkroful junction where there was a police officer who they requested a handcuff from to put me in,” he added.
He said when onlookers noticed that he was being maltreated, they did not initially come to his aid because they assumed he was an armed robber.
But when he managed to narrate the incident, they rescued him from the officer and he proceeded to the hospital to treat his wounds.
Whajah also reports that following the incident, the Secondi police have taken an internal administrative action against the officer and have promised to deal with the issue.
The Western Region branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has also issued a statement condemning the officer’s action.
They described the attack as “unprovoked”, and that even if the officer felt offended by the comment, the best thing would have been to arrest the journalist.
They have promised to follow up on the matter until justice is served.
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