Tema GJA Condemns Attack On Graphic Journalist

The Tema branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for a full scale investigation into the attack on Della Russell Ocloo, Tema regional correspondent of the Graphic Communications Group Limited at the Glorious Way Church at Sakumono.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the Tema Regional GJA Chairman, Dominic Hlordzi also urged the Christian community, Christian Council of Ghana, the Pentecostal and Charismatic groupings to call Prophet Badu Kobi and his congregation to order "and guide them to the narrow path of righteousness".

Ms Ocloo was on Sunday August 4 2019, allegedly attacked and molested by some agitated members of the church when she went there to follow up on a protest march by members of the "1000 Women's March" over Prophet Kobi's denigrating comments against Asanti, Fanti and Ewe women.

She is said to have filmed some congregants kneeling and holding the shoes of Prophet Kobi for blessings during the service, an act which incurred the wrath of some of the congregants who allegedly rained insults on her and threatened to beat her up, if she did not delete the said video from her phone.

According to the reporter, after several threats and attempts to beat her, some policemen from the Sakumono Police Station who came to the scene, tried to handcuff her but she volunteered to walk to their car herself.

Subsequently, the police allegedly tried to wrest her phone from her before she was sent to the police station, where she was detained and made to write a statement although she insisted she would do so only in the presence of her lawyer.

These, the GJA condemned, saying Ms Ocloo was executing her constitutionally permitted duty in the interest of the nation adding that "the attempt by the church members to attack her was reprehensible and uncivilised way of addressing such a case in a democratic dispensation".

"Mob injustice has been a grave cancer wreaking havoc on innocent lives and so for members of a church professing to be worshipers of a merciful and forgiving God to engage in an act as narrated by the journalist can at best be described as unchristian, ungodly and an affront to the Holy word of God," the statement said.

It said the conduct of the police personnel who went to the scene left much to be desired and queried why the police would struggle with a harmless lady to seize her phone and bag or force her to write a statement when she was insisting on having her lawyer present before such an action?

"The GJA wants to know the role of the police in the entire narrative and why personnel were unprofessional in handling the case. What informed the police decision to detain the reporter? The Association demands answers," the statement said.

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