Laptop computer of GhanaWeb journalist stolen on heavily-guarded EC premises

Security officers of the Electoral Commission (EC) are attempting to find an HP laptop computer of a GhanaWeb journalist believed to have been stolen on their premises on October 7, 2020.

The silver-coloured computer which contains private documents of the premier online news portal was picked from the bag of the journalist by unknown persons at a designated spot for journalists on the heavily-guarded EC premises to cover the filing of nomination of presidential aspirants.

"The laptop was in one of our bags and we placed it next to other journalists when we left to cover the filing of nomination of PPP’s Brigitte Dzorgbenuku who had arrived at the premises," said Laud Adu-Asare, the leader of the team of journalists assigned to the EC.

“We normally split ourselves into two teams for the coverage of the filing of nominations by the aspirants. One team stays upstairs while the other is outside to enable us capture their entry and do quick interviews before they go up.

"So on Wednesday we deployed the same tactics, only this time around when it was over and we got upstairs, the laptop bag had been moved from where we had left it; with the machine taken out,” he narrated.

When the GhanaWeb team reported the incident to officials of the Commission, immediate steps were taken to find the laptop including an announcement and a quick scan of the room; these, however, proved futile as the equipment was no where to be found.

Public Relations Officer of the EC, Madam Sylvia Annor made a resolve that the matter will be investigated and actions will be carried out to recover the item.

She told the team that security cameras installed in the conference room of the Commission will be examined to disclose the timeline of events leading to the loss of the item as well as the face behind the disgraceful act.

Further reacting to the development after hearing about it, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, intimated that she was shocked about the development. She reaffirmed that security footage will be extracted by the tech team and security to bring the details to bare.



But 5 days on, the Commission is yet to give the GhanaWeb team any substantive feedback about the loss of the computer. Attempts to reach officials at the Electoral Commission proved futile as at the close of day on Monday, October 12.

Journalists who were present during subsequent days for the coverage of the exercise at the Electoral Commission expressed grave concerns about the safety of their items at the centre that's expected to secure the votes of Ghanaians during the December elections.

Meanwhile GhanaWeb has filed an official complaint with the Ministries police.