Defence Minister 'Arrests' Reporter

Four armed soldiers led by the Deputy Minister of Defence Dr. Tony Aidoo yesterday morning stormed the offices of The Crusading Guide and bundled its News Editor Mr. Sedi Bansah to an unknown destination.

The arrest of Mr. Sedi Bansah which has been strongly condemned by the GJA and the PRINPAG was effected few hours after he had phoned Dr.

Aidoo in a bid to cross-check a story he was investigating about an alleged altercation between the Deputy Minister and a security guard at the Dansoman Goil Station on the evening of September 6 this year.

He was initially bundled into a military Landrover and taken to the Police Headquarters on the orders of Dr. Aidoo who accused him of hiding an imposter.

Bansah told the Chronicle in an interview yesterday that he had also been informed by a source that the Deputy Minister allegedly pulled out a pistol to effect the arrest of the security guard for allegedly misbehavior.

Following this, he said he managed to track the said security guard down who he said confirmed the incident.

According to him, when he called Dr. Aidoo for his version of the story he refused to talk on the phone and insisted that they meet at his office to discuss it. He said Dr. Aidoo also insisted that he brings a tape recorder to record the proceedings.

Bansah said when Dr. Aidoo came to the Crusading Guide office, he demanded to see the said security guard who Bansah said had left earlier.

Mr. Kweku Baako, the Editor-in-Chief of the Crusading Guide who was beside himself with rage defended his news editor saying he had done what was ethically professionally and constitutionally required of him to do.

'Who would do that if the person wants to plot and destroy your image", he queried.

Sedi's arrest comes exactly a year after Mr. Kabral Blay-Amihere, President of West African Journalists Association (WAJA) was similarly arrested and detained by Military Personnel for allegedly creating unrest within the army.

PRINPAG President Kofi Coomson chose to monitor the movement of the vehicle conveying the hapless reporter down to Dansoman Goil filling station where two plain-clothed detectives under orders to track down the almighty Minister's accusers got down, went into a house and back.

He kept telephone contact also with Sedi who happened to be carrying his mobile telephone.

Sedi, sandwiched between four rather gentle cops was sent back to Police headquarters, unharmed but shaken and asked to report at headquarters this morning at 10.00a.m.

"Some of us have always warned about the stability of the Deputy Minister of Defence and his capacity to embarrass and bring down the majesty of our Armed Forces with such illegal and obviously disgraceful conduct".

Mr. Coomson said this is a matter which the nation can ill afford at this time since it will vindicate the latest Amnesty report, give them ammunition to further label this country because this will be winging its way to the international Press and Human Rights Groups.

Continuing, the PRINPAG President said that it is a pity that no one is calling "this boy" to order now that The President is out of the country.

"They are waiting for him to really hurt the reputation of the Armed Forces even further before action is taken, and the country will be loser", Kofi added. The GJA President Mrs. Gifty Afenyi Dadzie and the Secretary General of the CPP Mr. Kwesi Pratt both roundly condemned the Minister for his actions.