Ken Agyapong should’ve been arrested for threatening Ahmed – One Ghana Movement

The One Ghana Movement has criticised the police for failing to arrest Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong back in July 2018 when he incited violence against Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ Tiger Eye PI colleague, Ahmed Hussein-Suale.

The group’s comments come after Ghana was shocked by the news that Ahmed, a key member of the Tiger Eye PI team was shot dead in Madina on Wednesday evening.

In a statement, the group said “the failure of the police to arrest Mr. Agyepong and bring him to book is a betrayal of the trust the State has reposed in it. The Ghana police failed in its duty of care to Ahmed and the people of Ghana.”

Kennedy Agyapong is once again in the public eye in the wake of the killing because he circulated photos of Ahmed and called on persons in Madina to beat up the investigator if he visited his company premises.

This was ahead of the release of Tiger Eye PI’s exposé on corruption on Ghana football which implicated the disgraced GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi.

The incitement of harm against Mr. Ahmed by Mr. Agyepong was not secret but public and known to the Ghana Police and the security agencies. This was a flagrant breach of the Criminal and Other Offences ACT(Act 29) section 74 which makes the threat of harm a criminal offence.

The One Ghana Movement is of the view the failure of the police in the matter was a symptom of the “prioritization of party politics over national interest.”

“It is worth asking, would the IGP sit aloof if a non-ruling party bigwig or commoner were to incite people to lynch him or the president for a reward? We are all Ghanaians and The creeds of fairness, equality and rule of law should not be allowed to remain empty platitudes,” the statement said.

Investigations underway

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) says it has commenced investigations into Ahmed’s murder.

He was reportedly killed by two gunmen on a motorbike who shot into the car he was driving.

It is believed Ahmed was shot three times; twice in the chest and once in the neck.

The criticism in the wake of the murder forced Kennedy Agyapong to insist that he has nothing to do with the journalist’s death.

“This is what I said. This boy is not relevant to my life. This boy is irrelevant to my life. Why would I be stupid and order people to kill him looking at how far God has brought me? He has not offended me in any way. They should look for those who may be behind this heinous act. This is just cheap propaganda.”

Find below the full statement

PRESS RELEASE

ONEGHANA MOVEMENT REACTION TO THE ASSASINATION OF TIGER EYE PI INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST AHMED HUSSEIN-SUALE

The despicable and gruesome assassination of Ahmed Hussein-Suale marks a major failing of the State akin to the murder of the Judges in 1982. Ahmed was shot three times, twice in the chest and oncein the neck by gun men riding motorbike late Wednesday night, January 16, 2019 at Madina in Accra while driving home.

Ahmed was one of Tiger Eye PI journalists whose photographs the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Mr. Kennedy Agyapong circulated in his appearance on NET 2 TV ahead of the screening of ‘who watches the watchman’ anti-Anas video documentary.

Irresponsible Citizenship

On a programme on Net2 TV which belongs to the MP, he called on the public to assault Ahmed and he Kennedy Agyepong will bear any financial consequences from it.

OneGhana movement is of the view that by revealing the identity of the undercover anti-corruption journalist, Kennedy Agyepong imminently imperiled the life of Ahmed. While he may have exercised his right, Mr. Agyepong’s position as a member of parliament, the public and the constitutional expectations of that office require that he is more circumspect in his public utterances. Just as the Bible says, “all things are permissible but not all things are constructive”. All members of the public who also circulated the photograph of Ahmed and other photos purported to be Anas on social media without seeing the danger in it also contributed to endangering the lives of the undercover investigators. This represents an irresponsible use of social media and an affront to good citizenship.

Mr. Agyepong’s call on the public to assault Ahmed for a reward is despicable and irresponsible of a Ghanaian and more so, a member of parliament who should be an example and beacon of lawfulness and responsible citizenship.



Public Policy Accountability And Party Politics Of National Interest

The incitement of harm against Mr. Ahmed by Mr. Agyepong was not secret but public and known to the Ghana Police and the security agencies. This was a flagrant breach of the Criminal and Other Offences ACT(Act 29) section 74 which makes the threat of harm a criminal offense. The failure of the police to arrest Mr. Agyepong and bring him to book is a betrayal of the trust the State has reposed in it. The Ghana police failed in its duty of care to Ahmed and the people of Ghana.

Suffice to say, the failings of the Ghana Police smacks of the prioritization of party politics over national interest. It is worth asking, would the IGP sit aloof if a non-ruling party bigwig or commoner were to incite people to lynch him or the president for a reward? We are all Ghanaians and The creeds of fairness, equality and rule of law should not be allowed to remain empty platitudes. In this regard, the One Ghana Movement seizes the opportunity to reiterate the call by many for the police service to rid itself of all political influences and manipulations, actual or perceived and take bold and decisive actions against all suspected criminals. The impression of impunity may encourage retaliation from other camps and may ultimately lead to violence and the destruction of the fabric of the State.

Silencing Journalists

Those who commit the heinous crime of killing courageous journalists and undercover investigators know that to silence journalists is to silence the voices of all those who speak through the media, or who might be tempted to speak in future.

Courageous journalists are often among the few forces defending democracy, exposing corruption, taking on powerful people in society or at least offering some check on power

Courageous journalists are the last hope to whom citizens turn when the justice delivery system such as the police and courts fail them.

The people rely on courageous journalists and undercover investigators when political institutions fail them, to inform them of what is really happening.

Our Call

1. We call on the President Nana Akufo Addo, National Security, Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to as a matter of urgency smoke out the perpetrators else journalists and undercover investigators will remain assassination targets for corrupt persons and their assigns.

2.Arrest and prosecute Mr. Kennedy Agyepong for inciting and threatening harm to Ahmed.

3. Bring to book all officers of the police and security services whose commission and omission contributed to the death of Ahmed and the failure to act against the threats by Mr. Agyepong.

4. We further call on the IGP to as a matter of urgency, show leadership and update Ghanaians on the state of investigations into the recent murders and guarantees to bolster security for all, moving forward.

OneGhana deeply regrets the recent murders and the seeming state of lawlessness and demands immediate action and resolve from government in this respect. The imperatives of human security in democracies cannot be overemphasized and we expect that government will demonstrate the needed urge to restore the sense of security in the capital.

___________

Emily Nyuur

Executive Secretary

Source: citinewsroom.com