The Multimedia Group has lodged a formal complaint at the Ashanti Regional Police Command over alleged threats on the life of its reporter, Erastus Asare Donkor, by the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong.
The media organization said Kennedy Agyapong on a television show on his Net 2 TV last Friday, called for the reporter to be beaten after raining insults on him.
It said the attack on the reporter by the legislator is a result of the former’s journalistic work in connection with the recent violence at Ejura in the Ashanti Region, and his testimony before the Justice Kingsley Koomson committee probing the issues related to the disturbances.
“The attention of Multimedia Group Limited (MGL) and its journalist, Erastus Asare Donkor, has been drawn to life-threatening comments that Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central and Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, has made about Erastus Asare Donkor… In the said video, a copy of which has been attached, the Honourable Member of Parliament is heard raining insults on Erastus Asare Donkor. Honourable Agyapong also:
(a) called for the ‘serious’ beating of Erastus Asare Donkor;
(b) asserted that “we should beat the hell out of” Erastus Asare Donkor; and
(c) threatened that if he (Honourable Agyapong) were the President of Ghana, he would have ensured that Erastus Asare Donkor is beaten mercilessly,” part of the petition stated.
While recalling that the legislator issued a similar threat to Ahmed Suale over some investigative work he had done before he was killed in 2019, the petitioners called for an investigation into the matter and adequate protection for the journalist.
“In the above circumstances, we wish to file this formal complaint of threat by Honourable Agyapong against the life of Erastus Asare Donkor and request that his complaint is investigated, and Erastus Asare Donkor given the required protection,” they added.
Ejura Committee: ‘I saw 7 soldiers engaged in the shooting’ – Multimedia Journalist
Erastus Asare Donkor, a Journalist with the Multimedia Group in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, said he saw a total of seven military personnel who engaged in the shooting that left two protesters dead and four others injured in the Ejura disturbances.
He made this known when he appeared before the three-member ministerial committee investigating the issue. Mr. Asare Donkor further added that the military initially started firing warning shots into the air, but later changed the direction and fired directly into the protesters.
When asked about how long the shooting lasted, Mr. Asare Donkor said it went on for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Read the full petition below:
