Accra FM reporter interdicted for alleged extortion, blackmail

The Management of Class Media Group, mother body of Class 91.3FM and Accra 100.5FM, has interdicted one of its reporters with Accra FM, Nana Amoako Gyampah, for alleged extortion and blackmail.

This follows a complaint filed by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) against Amoako Gyampah.

He is reported to have persistently demanded five million cedis from the Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a condition for dropping a “negative story” against the company.

A statement by the GJA President, Affail Monney, stated that the Journalist during an interrogation at the Press Centre admitted to the unethical behaviour but again sent a WhatsApp message to the MD on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, in which he threatened to go ahead to publish damaging stories against the ECG boss as punishment for leaking to the GJA the five million cedi demand he had made.

The GJA added that the “association finds the behaviour of Nana Gyampa , before, during and after its investigation as unrepentant, arrogant, reprehensible, unacceptable , mercenary and a clear breach of Article 10 of the GJA Code of Ethics which states that a journalist “ does not accept a bribe or any form of inducement to influence the performance of his or her professional duties.

“The CID must therefore investigate the case further and allow the law to take its course.”

Reacting to the news in a statement signed by the Human Resource Manager, Daniel Adjei Frimpong on Wednesday November 14, the management of CMG said: “…We take serious view of the issues raised by the GJA in relation to the alleged blackmailing of the MD of the ECG.

It added : “…Management has therefore commenced immediate investigations into the matter for necessary actions to be taken. As the first step, Nana Amoako Gyampah has been interdicted.”