Ablekuma North Rerun: Police Officer assaults journalist
A police officer deployed to provide security during the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun has been accused of assaulting a GHOne TV journalist at the Church of Pentecost, North Odorkor Polling Station 2.
The incident reportedly occurred when the journalist, identified as Agyekum Banahene, attempted to access the inner perimeter of the voting centre to cover proceedings.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Banahene said the officer approached him and singled him out, demanding that he leave the area, despite other journalists being present at the same location.
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“He just came to approach me that I should leave the premises. Meanwhile, there were other media guys at the premises; he didn’t ask anybody else to leave but asked me,” Banahene recounted.
When he refused to leave, explaining that he needed to be on-site to properly cover any developments, the officer allegedly pushed him and slapped him across the face.
“I said no, I can’t go, what if I go and something happens? How do I report?” he said. “He was pushing me and then slapped me in the face for no reason. I have not done anything wrong to anybody.”
Mr Banahene described the officer’s conduct as unprofessional and a violation of press freedom, adding that such actions undermine Ghana’s commitment to free media.
“They say press freedom, where is that press freedom? We can’t allow laymen to do this, let alone an officer who knows the law.”
He has since indicated that he will lodge a formal complaint with the Accra Regional Police Command. He also confirmed that the Mayor of Accra has reached out to him and encouraged him to follow due process to seek redress.
Tense rerun
The assault comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the rerun. The Electoral Commission of Ghana ordered fresh voting at 19 polling stations within the Ablekuma North Constituency after irregularities and disputes undermined the original December 2024 parliamentary election.
The poll is a contest between Nana Akua Owusu Afriyie of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Awurabena Aubynn of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Earlier on Friday, police arrested several individuals dressed in brown uniforms and posing as security personnel near the Awoshie DVLA polling station. The suspects reportedly failed to produce valid identification when questioned and were taken to the Odorkor Police Station for further investigation.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga West and Dean of Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in Greater Accra, John Desmond Nii Sowah Nai, confirmed the arrests, saying the suspects are believed to be imposters with no ties to any recognised state security agency.
