Two media personnel attacked during Atiwa by-election

Koforidua, Sept 2, GNA - Two media personnel, Mr Edward Gawuga, the Eastern Regional correspondent of Radio Gold, an Accra based FM station, and Mr Takyi Boateng, cameraman of Graphic Communication Group, were allegedly beaten by some supporters of the New Patriotic Party at the outskirts of Abomosu during the Atiwa by-election on Tuesday.

Mr Boateng said they were offered a lift by the Birim North District Chief Executive, Mr Napoleon Asiamah, from Kwabeng to Abomosu to cover the voting during the by-election.

He said as they approached Abomosu they met a group of people holding stones, sticks and other offensive weapons and were singing so they asked the DCE to stop for them to find out what was happening.

Mr Boateng said immediately they stopped, one of the people identified Mr Asiamah as a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and shouted "they are members of the NDC" and the people started beating them and hitting the vehicle with sticks.

He said they got into the vehicle and attempted to drive off but there were other people in front of the vehicle and to avoid driving through them, the DCE branched into a side road but the road ended in somebody's house.

Mr Boateng said the landlord allowed them to drive into the walled house to take shelter but it was not long before the group got to the house and started banging the gate for it to be opened.

The landlord advised them to leave before the people broke into the house and so they had to scale the wall of the house through the back door into the bush behind the house.

Mr Boateng said they got to another house where they took shelter for a while before they were assisted with a vehicle to get to the police barrier at the outskirts of Abomosu.

He said they saw the Eastern Regional Police Commander, Mr Ransford Ninson, at the barrier who got them a police escort to pick their vehicle that was damaged with the back screen broken.

Mr Boateng said they reported the incident to the police at Anyinam and were issued with hospital forms to attend hospital.