The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) is demanding a concrete update on the investigation in the murder case of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an investigative journalist, by the end of March 2025.
“If by the end of March 2025, we have not seen or heard satisfactory reaction to our demand, we shall proceed to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice to seek resolution of this matter,” Mr Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, GJA President said at a news conference in Accra on Wednesday.
He said it was very unfortunate and disappointing that six years after the murder of Hussein-Suale, no arrest has been made.
“What is even more disheartening is the lackadaisical police investigations into the murder. You may recall the shocking disclosure made by the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in February 2024 that his office had not received from the police any docket fit for prosecution or action on the murder of Hussein-Suale. This was five years after the murder of the journalist.
“Just last week, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare-Obeng, popularly called A-Plus, publicly indicated that he had given information to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) regarding the suspected killers of Hussein-Suale.
He went further to threaten that if the police did not come public with investigations into the killing, he would be compelled to publish the name of the suspect he submitted to the police.
The comments made by A-Plus have raised many questions that cast doubt on the willingness of the police to resolve this matter,” he said.
Mr Dwumfour noted that the GJA also intended to take the case of Latif Iddrisu, formerly of Multimedia, to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice if nothing concrete came from the police by the end of March 2025.
Latif was brutally assaulted by unidentified police officers at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department while covering a demonstration by some supporters of the National Democratic Congress.
The assault damaged his skull and since then, he has been battling for his life.
However, six years after the incident, the GJA President said police investigations has been rather tardy.
“The police claim they do not have or cannot find evidence for prosecution. They further claim the CCTV at the crime scene was faulty on that fateful day Latif was assaulted. The police are saying since crime has no expiry date, anytime or day they would find evidence, they would initiate prosecution. We shall proceed to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice to hear what they will also say on this case,” he added.
He urged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and the President to take keen interest in the case.
Mr Kofi Yeboah, the General Secretary of the GJA, said the Association did not appreciate the response from the police, hence the need to go to the Ecowas court should the need arise.
The Association, he said, has been well advised legally and would leave the matter in the hands of the ECOWAS court if the matter failed to be handled rightfully and as expected by the authorities concerned.
Mr Omar Faruk Osman, the President of the Federation of African Journalists, said the Federation was watching closely the unjust attacks on journalists especially regarding the murder of Hussein-Suale and believed in the need for justice to prevail.
He said the Federation stood in full support of the GJA to speak against impunity, adding that it would not hesitate to take the matter to international forums and international court of Justice and the UN Council if the police failed to bring justice to Hussein-Suale, his family and all journalists.
GNA