Stop globetrotting and address torture of journalists – Minority to Akufo-Addo

The Minority in Parliament has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to stop globetrotting and stay home to address security issues involving the torturing and harassment of journalists.

The Minority’s concern follows claims by Mr Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri, the Deputy Editor of news website ModernGhana that he was tortured by operatives of the National Security Secretariat when he was arrested together with his colleague Emmanuel Britwum last week over hacking and cybercrime allegations.

Speaking to Class91.3FM’s Ekow Annan on Tuesday, 2 July 2019, the Ranking member of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, Mr James Agalga, said: “Today, all these abuses are happening under his watch, the man is not even speaking to the issues. That is what is most shocking and amazing. I mean it’s bizarre that all these things are happening and the president will not find time, he will not stop globetrotting and address these major security concerns”.

In the view of the Minority, an independent investigation must be launched into the torture claim by Mr Abugri.

“That issue should be investigated by an independent body,” Mr Agalga said.

He indicated that the National Security and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service cannot be trusted to do a diligent and unbiased probe of the issue.

Mr Abugri and Mr Britwum were arrested on Thursday, 27 June 2019 following a raid of their office in Accra.

Even though the National Security said they arrested the two in relation to cybercrime and hacking allegations, Mr Abugri said the questions posed to him while in detention had no link to those claims.

Mr Abugri noted that he was rather questioned on two critical articles his outfit published about the National Security Minister, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, and the governing New Patriotic Party’s MP for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin in relation to happenings at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).

Narrating his ordeal, Mr Abugri said: “They [National Security operatives] questioned me for about an hour and then the beating started because they said I have to confess. I was tortured; every question came with a slap. When they ask anything and before I could say anything then the slaps”.

“When I give an answer and they are not satisfied then they give me a slap. They used the electrical shocker to shock my body”, he narrated, adding: “From there, they made me go through the military style where I have to lean against the wall with legs up and head down as if I'm doing a press up then they gave me a huge slap at my back then I fell and one guy used his elbow on my backbone”.

He continued: “I could not breathe for a while, so, I had to open my mouth and gasp in the air so I could survive and I cried like a newborn baby telling them I was innocent”, he told Accra-based Joy FM.

However, the Office of National Security has denied his claims of torture.

Mr Agalga said although Mr Akufo-Addo has been touted as a human rights champion, several journalists are being abused “under his watch” and he is “not even speaking to the issues”.

Meanwhile, a statement released by the Office of National Security said: “The suspect will be arraigned on Tuesday, 2 July 2019 and the charges preferred against him will be made known”, adding that: “The Secretariat reassures the general public that it will at all times continue to respect the rule of law in all of its operations”.