Petition National Security over assault – Sammy Darko to Citi FM

Private legal practitioner, Sammy Darko, has asked management of Citi FM/Citi TV to formally petition the National Security Minister over the recent manhandling of one of its journalists, Caleb Kudah.

He says there are enough legal provisions that the station could use in seeking justice for its staff member who was brutalized by officials of the National Security outfit.

Not only did the operatives assault broadcast journalist, Caleb Kudah during interrogation for filming at the Blue Gate of the National Security Ministry, they also besieged the premises of Citi FM/ Citi TV in Adabraka to ostensibly arrest another journalist, Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo, for electronically receiving videos from her colleague.

The actions of the National Security operatives have been condemned by many people who believe they should be sanctioned for their inhumane and poor handling of the matter.

“We have what we call the Security and Intelligence Act, under Act 10 (30) (26). Provisions have been made so that if you are aggrieved by the actions of the intelligence unit, you have the right to formally file a complaint to the Director-General of that intelligence unit. The reason why this is important, and I want Citi FM to do this, is because there will be timelines for them to respond since it is not supposed to take more than 30 days.”

“Even under this Act, you have the right to write to the Chief Justice to set up a tribunal to go into this complaint, and even if they come out with their decision and if you are not satisfied, you can also appeal at the Court of Appeal.”

The lawyer and journalist also slammed the operatives of the National Security who used a phone belonging to Citi News reporter, Caleb Kudah to try to lure his colleague, Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo, describing it as utterly absurd.

For him, the National Security officers should have operated within the law by securing a court warrant before accessing the contents of the journalist's phone.

More concerning for Sammy Darko was how the operatives coerced Zoe not only to delete the images in contention but all other personal photos she had on her phone at the time.

“Often, when these matters come up, we just leave it at just talking. In order to get our institutions reformed, once the law is providing the procedure by which issues can be solved, I think Citi FM must take advantage, so the matter can be looked into”, Sammy Darko advised.

---citinewsroom