NPP must take responsibility and compensate JoyNews’ Latif Iddrisu for assault – Affail Monney – Nsemkeka
The immediate past President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Affail Monney, has condemned the assault on JoyNews journalist Latif Iddrisu and has called on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to accept responsibility and provide compensation.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 27, at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) headquarters in Accra, where Latif Iddrisu was covering the detention of the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
“The NPP should be prepared to pay adequate compensation to Latif Iddrisu,” he suggested. “This would go a long way to mitigate the suffering he has endured,” Mr Monney insisted.
Chairman Wontumi was whisked away by EOCO officials shortly after an invitation by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over allegations of illegal mining activities.
Speaking on the incident, Mr Monney described the attack as “highly unacceptable in a civilised society such as ours”.
READ ALSO: ADC condemns attack on JoyNews reporter Latif Iddrisu, demands swift justice
He stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law, saying, “In such a dispensation, anyone who finds themselves on the wrong side of the law must taste the biting edge of that law.”
He characterised the assault as “a pure act of impunity” and warned of its dangerous consequences if left unchecked.
“If impunity is not dealt with decisively,” he said, “it ignites a self-propelling cycle which makes it very difficult to manage.”
Calling for urgent and effective action, he appealed to law enforcement to respond swiftly: “We expect our police system to deal with such issues at supersonic speed.”
He also emphasised the role of the judiciary, stating, “When cases reach the courts, we expect justice to be served expeditiously.”
Furthermore, Mr. Monney insisted that an apology from the NPP alone would not suffice.