The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfuor, has strongly condemned the assault on a journalist during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun and is calling on the police hierarchy to take bold, decisive action against the offending officer.
This follows an incident on Friday, July 11, 2025, where Agyekum Banahene, a journalist with GHOne TV, was slapped by a uniformed police officer at the Church of Pentecost, North Odorkor Polling Station 2, while covering proceedings at the polling centre.
Banahene, who was attempting to access the inner perimeter to report on the election, was assaulted in full view of the public and cameras. He has since expressed fear for his safety, saying the attack has left him deeply shaken.
Reacting to the incident, Mr Dwumfuor described it as a serious breach of press freedom and human rights, and demanded swift justice.
“We demand an immediate, thorough, and transparent criminal investigation into this matter since it is a case of assault, which is a second-degree felony.
“We call on the IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, to ensure that swift and decisive disciplinary action is taken to serve as a deterrent to others. We want the police to be bold and punish one of their officer…this time, in the full glare of the public and on camera,” he said
“This is a serious issue and cannot be treated as a misdemeanour. We know what the police can do.”
Meanwhile, the officer in question has been interdicted by the service. In an official press release signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Richmond Mensah on behalf of the Director of Public Affairs, the Service confirmed it had taken immediate action after reviewing the footage circulating on social media.
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