The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has welcomed the arrest of a key suspect in the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale but insists that justice must be fully served by bringing all perpetrators to account.
The suspect, Daniel Owusu Koranteng, also known as Amakye, was arraigned before the Madina District Court on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, and was remanded into police custody. He is scheduled to reappear in court on April 1, 2025.
This development marks the first major breakthrough in the case since Suale was assassinated on January 16, 2019. In a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency, the GJA commended the Ghana Police Service for the progress, particularly acknowledging the efforts of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno and the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), DCOP Lydia Yaako Donkor.
Despite lauding the arrest, the GJA stressed that the fight for justice was far from over. The association called on law enforcement to ensure that all individuals involved in Suale’s murder are apprehended and prosecuted.
“We hope this arrest is only the beginning of the long search for justice for Ahmed Suale,” GJA General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah, stated. “The case has remained a dark stain on Ghana’s media freedom record, and ensuring justice will serve as a crucial step in restoring confidence in press safety.”
The prolonged delay in solving Suale’s case has been a key factor in Ghana’s declining ranking on the World Press Freedom Index. Last month, the GJA issued an ultimatum, threatening to take the case to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice by the end of March 2025 if authorities failed to make meaningful progress.
The GJA has informed its international partners, including the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), about the recent developments. These organizations have expressed their commitment to escalating the case to other global forums if necessary.
“In the coming days, we will be engaging police leadership for more details on the prosecution of the suspect and further investigations,” the GJA statement noted. “Additionally, we will demand updates on other unresolved cases of attacks on journalists, including the assault on Latif Iddrisu.”
The association emphasized that justice for Ahmed Suale should not stop at a single arrest. It called for a comprehensive investigation that would ensure all those behind the journalist’s assassination face the full force of the law.
As the case heads to court, media rights advocates remain vigilant, urging authorities to remain committed to their duty of protecting press freedom and ensuring that Ghana does not become a hostile environment for investigative journalism.
