The Chronicle on Wednesday, October 17, 2024 carried a story about supporters of Elisha Salifu Amoako, Founder and General Overseer of Alive Chapel International, attacking journalists at the Accra Circuit Court.
The altercation occurred as journalists attempted to report on a court hearing involving Elisha Salifu Amoako, who, along with two others, had been granted bail in connection with a fatal car crash involving his underage son.
Following the hearing, tensions erupted when Elisha Salifu Amoako’s supporters attempted to prevent journalists, who had been accredited by the Judicial Service, from covering the case.
The supporters clashed with members of the press, forcefully seizing mobile phone from GHOne legal correspondent, Murtala Inusah, who was capturing video footage. Inusah sustained injuries whilst the buttons on his shirt were destroyed.
Our reporter, Bernice Bessey, was also attacked while attempting to document the scene. They also verbally assaulted Peace FM and UTV correspondent, Philipa Ayilimah Atanga, who is an expectant mother.
In a subsequent development, four Multimedia Group reporters have been attacked by armed men at Asumenya, near Manso Nkran, in the Ashanti Region.
The assault occurred on Sunday, October 20, 2024 while the team was investigating the resurgence of illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, in the newly restored Asumenya Forest Reserve and the pollution of streams feeding into the Ankobra River.
According to the statement issued by the Multimedia Group, more than ten heavily armed men wielding pump-action guns ambushed the crew during their assignment.The attackers abducted the journalists to a remote location, subjected them to physical abuse and later abandoned them at the scene.
The Multimedia Group has reported the incident to the police and expressed its appreciation for the swift response from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), in initiating efforts to apprehend the attackers.
First of all, we highly condemn attacks on journalists doing their work. These acts of violence are a blatant assault on press freedom, an essential pillar of democracy. As the Fourth Estate of the realm, journalists play a vital role in bringing attention to critical issues that affect our society, and attacks on them undermine the right of citizens to stay informed.
The Ghana Police Service has made commendable strides in swiftly responding to the attacks, and we urge them to fast-track investigations in these cases. It is crucial that the perpetrators of these violent attacks are brought to justice promptly to send a strong message that assaulting journalists will not be tolerated.
The media’s role becomes even more critical as we approach the 2024 elections, a time when accurate and timely reporting can significantly impact the democratic process. We, therefore, call on the public to refrain from attacking journalists in any form as they perform their duties.
Journalists must be allowed to operate freely and without fear of violence or harassment. Any attempt to silence the press is an affront to the freedoms we hold dear as a nation.
The Chronicle also appreciates the establishment of a network of lawyers, by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), to offer timely and effective legal assistance to journalists who fall victim to such violent attacks.
The initiative by MFWA is in response to the persistent trend of harassment against journalists and it is a step in the right direction to offer some protection to those who risk their lives and livelihoods to report the truth.Media houses, civil society organizations, and government institutions must continue to work together to ensure that Ghana remains a beacon of press freedom in the region.
As a country, we must recognise that safeguarding press freedom is a collective responsibility. Let us remember that violence against the press is violence against democracy itself. We must all do our part to protect the media from intimidation and allow journalists to perform their critical role in building an informed and empowered society.
