January 29, 2010
Emmanuel
Kubi, a photographer with Daily Guide, an Accra-based privately-owned
newspaper, was on January 26,
2010 arrested and detained on the orders of an Accra
High Court presiding judge, Justice James B. Benson.
The
Daily Guide photographer was covering the trial of four criminals convicted of
murder. The Ghana News Agency
reported that Kubi was sent to a cell within the court premises and locked up
together with the convicts and other criminals.
Kubi
told Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in
an interview that the criminals on realising he was a journalist, subjected him
to further beating, threatened and insulted him. “One of them even inserted his
finger into one of my eyes”, he said.
The journalist’s ordeal began after a scuffle with the prison officers escorting
the prisoners. The officers claimed Kubi had no permission to photograph the
convicts. He was allegedly slapped two times and beaten by the prison officers
and family members of the convicts, following their unsuccessful attempt to
seize his camera.
Meanwhile,
Western Publications Limited, publishers of Daily Guide newspaper, had filed a
complaint with the Chief Justice about continuous harassment of its staff
members on the courts’ premises.
According
to Alhaji Abdul Rahman
Gomda, the newspaper’s news editor, one of their photographers was also
assaulted last week.
For more information please contact:
Kwame Karikari (Prof)
Executive Director
MFWA
Accra
Tel: 233-21-24 24 70
Fax: 233-21-22 10 84
Email:
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,
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Website: www.mediafound.org
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