GJA condemns beating of journalist at Ashaiman

The Tema Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has condemned and demanded justice for the beating of Mr Michael Cregg Afful, the Tema Correspondent of Oman FM by some soldiers at Ashaiman.

A press release dated June 8, 2015 and signed by Mr Dominic Hlordzi, Tema Chapter Chairman, also asked for the release of Mr Afful’s mobile phone, which was in the possession of the soldiers who allegedly beat him up.

The release indicated that the Oman FM reporter in the morning of May 25, took a harmless shot of the Ashaiman road under construction with his mobile phone.

The two soldiers, who were said to have been deployed from the flagstaff house to the construction site, together with an engineer, pounced on him and beat him mercilessly.

The two soldiers allegedly hit his head with truncheon leading to blood oozing out of his head which has swells and bruises.

They also took his mobile phone and were yet to return it, the release noted.

The incident was reported to the Ashaiman Police and a medical form was issued to Mr Afful who received treatment at the Ashaiman Polyclinic.

The perpetrators are said to have admitted beating him when the police visited the scene.

The GJA stated that it was “disheartening to learn that this cruel, uncivilized and inhumane treatment occurred in the full glare of the brother of the President, Ibrahim Mahama, whose company, Engineers and Planners is undertaking the construction works on the road”.

The GJA pointed out that the road under construction was not a private property but rather a public one, therefore reporting on the progress of work on it was appropriate.

The statement said the continuous attack on journalists by officers in uniform was a grave drawback to the democratic forward match of the country.

“The violence against Michael is an affront to media freedom and the right of the individual guaranteed in the constitution”.