Ablekuma North election rerun: Police interdict officer who assaulted journalist
The Ghana Police Service has interdicted a police officer who was captured on video allegedly slapping a journalist covering the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Service confirmed that the officer has been withdrawn from election duty in the constituency and referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for further investigation in line with internal disciplinary procedures.
“The Ghana Police Service has monitored a viral video in which one of our officers is seen assaulting a reporter,” the statement, signed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Richmond Mensah, said.
The incident which occurred at the Church of Pentecost, North Odorkor Polling Station 2. Eyewitnesses say the officer confronted the journalist, Agyekum Banahene of GHOne TV, and slapped him after he refused to leave the polling centre while covering the voting process.
The Police Service has assured the public that a thorough investigation will be carried out and that further updates will be communicated.
The rerun in Ablekuma North has been marked by heightened tensions after the Electoral Commission of Ghana ordered fresh voting in 19 polling stations due to irregularities and disputes during the original December 2024 election.
Earlier on Friday, police arrested several individuals posing as fake security personnel near the Awoshie DVLA polling station.
Background
The Ablekuma North parliamentary election re-run is intended to conclude the collation of the 2024 Parliamentary Election results, with 261 polling stations already collated.
Currently, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, leads with 32,512 votes, holding a slim margin of 48 votes over the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Ewurabena Aubynn, who has garnered 32,464 votes.
The seat remains keenly contested, as 6,639 eligible voters are expected to cast their ballots in the 19 polling stations where the re-run is taking place.
Read the statement below:
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Ablekuma North Rerun: Police Officer assaults journalist
