A journalist with Adom Brands of the Multimedia Group, Obrempongba Kwame Owusu, has alleged that he was assaulted by military personnel while covering the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) constituency executive elections in Nkwanta South Municipality in the Oti Region.
Mr Owusu, who is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, said the incident occurred on Saturday when security personnel moved to enforce a curfew imposed on the municipality.
He said voting was still underway at the polling centre as the curfew hour approached, with several delegates and party supporters still waiting to exercise their franchise.
“About 4:59 p.m. to 5 p.m., there were still hundreds of people in the queue voting. Suddenly, people started running for their lives,” he recounted.
According to the journalist, panic broke out after military personnel arrived at the venue to enforce the curfew directive, leading to confusion among those gathered at the centre.
Mr Owusu said while attempting to assist people during the commotion, he was confronted by some military personnel who accused him of recording their activities.
“It was in the process that the military came to me, accusing me of filming them and taking videos. They confronted me, beat me up and demanded that I hand over my phone, but I refused,” he alleged.
He claimed the situation continued until the intervention of the District Police Commander and other police officers, who helped to calm the situation and rescue him.
The journalist said he sustained injuries to his back and spine and initially sought medical attention before his condition deteriorated, resulting in his admission to the hospital.
“I came to the hospital yesterday [Sunday], but in the evening the situation became worse, so they had to admit me,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Multimedia Group has condemned the alleged attack, describing it as a serious concern for media freedom and the safety of journalists carrying out their professional duties.
The media organisation said Mr Owusu was performing his legitimate responsibility of reporting on the NPP internal elections when the incident occurred and called for a full investigation into the matter.
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has also called for investigations into the alleged assault, stressing the need for security personnel to respect the rights of journalists and civilians while carrying out their duties.
