10 Vulgar Police Personnel, Soldier Brutalise Three Ghanaian Times Reporters

One of the Victims, Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu at the hospital receiving treatment

Ghanaian Times court reporter Malik Sullemana, one of the journalists assaulted by the ramboo-styled police personnel narrates their ordeal.

A policeman riding on an unregistered motorbike hit our office vehicle in the morning at about 8:45am and sped off.

The policeman jumped traffick but while negotiating his way out, his motor hit the bumber of the Nissan saloon car and broke the side mirror and windscreen of the car.

A pillion motor rider who was just behind the policeman and saw what happened tried to stop him, but the policeman sped off.

Our driver chased and managed to block the policeman around Kinbu, few metres away from the accident scene.

I got off the vehicle and started videotaping. But while videoing, the policeman attempted to snatch my phone but was unsuccessful.

Angered by the development, the policeman punched my face, and instantly blood oozing from my nostril. As if that was not enough, other policemen and a soldier in uniform joined them to give me the beatings of my life.

They pushed, kicked, slapped, punched, insulted and head butted me.

My colleagues-Mr. Salifu Abdul Rahaman, a senior deputy editor and Mrs Raissa Sambou Ebu, a reporter were also heckled.

Raissa collapsed and was rushed to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital for treatment.

However, in the ensuing melee, Mrs Ebu took my phone and gave it to the driver, one Francis.

It did not end there. In fact, they insisted that my mobile phone is handed to them while they handcuffed and bundled me into a police vehicle.

After the wild goose chase for my phone, they sent me to the Ministries Police Station and detained me there for about four hours.

They ignored my plea to send me to the hospital for medical attention. While lying almost motionless in the police cell, they brought me out and dragged me on the staircase to an office on the second floor.

At the office, they requested to take my statement but I insisted to write my statement only in the presence of my lawyer. Flowing from this, they sent me back into the cell and urged the inmates to beat me up. One S. Nukunu who was at the counter, hit me on the back several times.

Few moments later, ACP David Eklu, Director of Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service, ASP Effia Tenge, Greater Accra Police Public Relations Officer arrived in the company of junior policemen. By that time, the Editor of Ghanaian Times, David Agbenu and News Editor, Matthew Ayinne Ayoo were waiting at the Crime Office.

I was later released from the cell and issued a police medical form after reasons prevailed that I should come and write my statement the next day. I was then taken to the Coco Clinic at North Kaneshie where I was treated and discharged.

So brazen, shameful, despicable and horrendous was the assault as they ignored warnings from onlookers who shouted "they will kill him", "stop it, this is not right".

They boasted that journalists only make noise when they are assaulted and that this one too shall pass which means they will go scot-free.

In fact, let me add that the assault happened in the presence of a senior policeman with the rank of a DSP who goaded his men on.