A journalist with Rivers FM at Wassa Akropong in the Western Region has incurred the wrath of traditional leaders after he criticised them for not doing enough to secure the interest of youth in the area.
Larry Saint was asked by the paramount chief of the area, Omanhene Tetre Akuamoah Sekyim, to kneel in the sun for over three hours as punishment for expressing his views after which he was handed over to the police for a charge yet to be established.
The youth of Wassa Akropong caused a major stir in the mining town last weekend when they demanded that a national, Jiang Gen Hai, be handed to them for instant justice after the Chinese allegedly shot and killed a local last Friday.
Police faced a tough time protecting Mr Hai and other Chinese nationals who were then hiding in a room.
It took the intervention of Western Region Police Commander, DCOP Kwesi Duku, to bring the chaotic situation under control.
During the melee, Larry Saint had posted a voice note on a Whatsapp platform for journalists that the chiefs were not doing enough to ensure the safety of the youth of the area against abuse by the Chinese.
The voice reached the chiefs, where were not enthused by Larry’s comments. Wassa Akropong plays host to many Chinese nationals due to its mineral-rich lands.
“I was called by my manager to accompany him to the palace because the Chief has summoned us. So I went with my manager and when the Omanhene came he said he has got a tape to play for us and after that, he is going to take a decision.
“So he set up a PA address system and he asked if it was my voice, I said yes, and he asked me to kneel down on the tiles. So I knelt. After a while he asked me to get up and go into the sun,” Larry narrated his ordeal to Joy News.
Western Region Police PRO, Olivia Diku, also confirmed the subsequent arrest to Joy News.
Although Larry has been released, he receives messages of threats on his life, however, he says he cannot leave the town for fear of violating the directive of police.
OmanheneTetre Akuamoah Sekyim is yet to respond to persistent calls for a comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, a Takoradi District Court on Tuesday remanded a Mr Hai into police custody for shooting to death Nana Buah, 29.
He will reappear in court on Thursday, October 26.
You see the lives of journalists and their hypocritical journalism, on a whatsapp platform of journalists, how did the chief got the voice note. First Class hypocrites in Ghana is the Wassa area of Ghana.
The chief is supposed to be arrested and detain, what kind of punitive measure was that, Ghana Police will never think instead of arresting the offender, rather arrested the victim.
God have mercy on our journalists, police, chiefs.
Comment: I can’t just believe the leaders in our district are doing this. Simple justice for a guy who was gruesomely killed by a common stranger too one must face a trial for speaking the Truth. I know i will soon be summoned. we’re not insulting our great Kings justice is all we need. Justice for Real Nana Boah #TINAMN
My talked on this matter is critical ,some wassa chiefs injunction with some Chinese are brutalising locals in the name of gold for their personal interests and stomachs. Its sooo pity I heel from wassa cus with all these resources the people are still poor and finds to difficult to feed,school,etc