The leadership of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the assault of David Kobbena a morning show host of Cape FM, in Cape Coast.
The petition signed by the General Secretary for the GJA, Kofi Yeboah, mentioned that the Journalist was allegedly assaulted by supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday, January 4, 2024, at the Central Regional vetting of parliamentary aspirants of the NPP, held at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Cape Coast.
Some men numbering 15 and wearing a branded T-shirt of Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu-Senya East, accosted David and beat him mercilessly without provocation.
They had mistaken him for another person they alleged had insulted the MP, who is also the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development.
The GJA has sent petitions to the IGP and the NPP to intensify investigations into the issue and bring the culprits to book.
“David had gone to the RCC to cover the vetting, and while sitting under a shed, a man believed to be a police officer (in mufti), on the basis of that mistaken identity, beckoned him for verification. David denied the allegation and produced his media house ID Card as evidence to support his denial. But in the process of doing so, someone slapped him from behind and others joined in the assault, beating him mercilessly. But for the timely intervention of other media colleagues, innocent David could have been lynched by the mob.
“We believe the assault against David was unprovoked and barbaric. We, therefore, petition the IGP as follows:
1. The IGP must ensure the speedy investigation of the incident and arrest the culprits.
2. The IGP must ensure the speedy prosecution of the culprits.
3. The IGP must investigate the conduct of the purported police officer who beckoned David to verify his identity but did not protect him from being assaulted,” the petition to the IGP read.
The petition that was addressed to the NPP acknowledged that the GJA is informed that the attention of Mr Peter Mac Manu, a former national chairman of the NPP, who chaired the regional Vetting Committee B, was drawn to the incident, and he sent Ghc1500 to be given to David to cater for his medical bills.
“We believe the assault against David was unprovoked and barbaric. We, therefore, petition the national leadership of the NPP as follows:
1. The NPP national leadership must investigate the incident immediately and identify the culprits.
2. The NPP national leadership must sanction the perpetrators of the assault against David.
Respectfully, we wish to serve notice that if by close of Friday, January 12, 2024, our petition has not been addressed, we shall advise ourselves accordingly”, the petition to the NPP added.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu