A supporter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson, has been arraigned before the Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly assaulting a JoyNews journalist and threatening him with death, during a protest at the offices of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on May 27, 2025.
Presided over by His Honour Kwabena Kodua Obiri-Yeboah, the accused was charged with two counts: Assault, contrary to Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and threat of death, contrary to Section 75 of the same Act.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Olivia Ofori-Adu, the complainant, Latif Iddrisu, a journalist with the Multimedia Group’s JoyNews channel, was on assignment at EOCO headquarters in Accra to cover the arrest of Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP.
During a live broadcast at about 7:00 pm, a group of NPP supporters, aggrieved by the arrest of their regional chairman, confronted the journalist, accusing him of biased reporting.
The court heard that the accused, Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson, together with others who remain at large, physically assaulted Latif Iddrisu by hitting him on the head and ribs, pelting him with stones and spitting on him.
Further, the accused and his accomplices allegedly issued chilling threats to the journalist, saying: “Today is your last day, we know where you are coming from and we know what we can do,” thereby putting the victim in fear of death.
Following a complaint lodged at the police station, Latif Iddrisu was given a medical report form and treated at a hospital.
The medical report confirmed he had been assaulted. Police investigations, including review of video footage from the scene, identified Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson among the attackers.
The accused was arrested on June 7, 2025 in James Town, Accra.
In his statement to the police, Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson admitted being present at the scene and assaulting the journalist. However, he pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the court.
Theophilus Kpakpo Thompson’s lawyer, Enoch Afoakwa, prayed the court to grant bail to his client, but the court declined and remanded the accused into custody until June 18, 2025.
The court also ordered the prosecution to file disclosures within 10 days.
Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other individuals involved in the attack.
