Security Expert, Richard Kumadoe, has said that agents of the National Security could have done better in its arrest of two Citi FM journalists.
Two broadcast journalists with Ghana’s Accra-based Citi FM and Citi TV were arrested on Tuesday by a number of National Security operatives. One of the journalists, Caleb Kudah was accused of filming at a security zone over the weekend and sending the video to the other journalist, Zoe Abu-Baidoo.
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It was reported that about seven heavily armed officers stormed the media house in a rambo style to effect the arrest of the second journalist, Zoe Abu-Baidoo.
Speaking on this occurrence, the security expert shared that it would have been better for the National Security operatives to have informed the journalist of the security installations. According to him, the situation should not have aggravated to the arrest of these journalists if the right thing was done.
“There are certain restrictive areas that say that photography is not permitted. Now people might see the sign and others might not. If you don’t see the sign that is why there are security officers at those areas. If you enter Blue House, it is a standard procedure that your phone is taken away from you or you don’t enter with your phone. If they make a mistake and allow you to enter with your phone, they are supposed to take it away from you. They do not have the right to ransack you or arrest you for something you have no idea of and if there are no inscriptions to suggest that photography is not allowed then I don’t see where the point is.
When you take pictures in a non-permissible area, what they are supposed to do is to let you know that one can’t take pictures there. They have to speak to you to make you aware. Nobody has the right to ransack arrest and manhandle you. That is not acceptable”, he explained to Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show.
Richard believed that these journalists arrested did not deserve the treatment they received. “I think, for this particular one, the National Security has gone over board”, he added.
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The two have since been released after hours of interrogation on Tuesday but the arrest attracted a lot of reactions on social media.
Prior to this, however, the General Manager of Citi FM and Citi TV, Bernard Koku Avle, condemned the approach used by the Police in their attempt to arrest a journalist at the premises of the media house on Tuesday, May 11.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
