A number of award successful Multimedia journalist Latif Iddrisu has gone into hiding at the same time as investigators on the Larger Accra regional police command make efforts to unmask faces behind a threatening textual content message despatched to the journalist.
A dependable supply near the journalist has informed the Ghanaian Instances that an unknown individual believed to be among the many wished supporters of the opposition NPP who assaulted Latif on the headquarters of EOCO in Could this yr, have doubled down by sending him a threatening message ordering him to discontinue his company with the police concerning the bodily assault and threats at him, and the next police grievance he filed.
A screenshot of the textual content message which has been cited by the Ghanaian Instances reads, “Hey Latif, withdraw the matter from the police or we are going to lower you and your youngsters”. The nameless individual ends the message with warning, urging the journalist to not disobey his orders by doing something opposite. “Don’t act robust man” it ends.
Deep throat supply informed the Instances {that a} request for safety safety for the journalist following the bodily assaults and threats by the supporters of the opposition New Patriotic social gathering, has not acquired any tangible response from the police administration.
The supporters who massed up at EOCO to help the Ashanti regional chairman of the NPP, Antwi Boasiako who was detained and interrogated on the organized crime workplace, assaulted and threatened the journalist that
“We all know the place you might be coming from and we all know what we are able to do”.
One other individual additionally threatened the journalist with phrases like, “as we speak is your final day”.
The deputy nationwide organizer of the New Patriotic social gathering, Lloyd Nii Kwei who allegedly confronted and interjected Latif’s dwell reporting earlier than, throughout, and after he was bodily assaulted, later that night described the journalist as a “harmful character” and vowed to blacklist him from packages organized by the New Patriotic social gathering.
“I’ll make sure that he doesn’t attend any of our (NPP) packages once more”. The deputy nationwide organizer of the NPP additionally tried to gaslight Latif when he reported the assault that was captured on dwell TV. When the journalist reported it the second the assault passed off, the deputy nationwide organizer of the New Patriotic social gathering requested the journalist “who assaulted you?”, in an try to discredit the sufferer and his report as false.
The journalist and his household have been residing in concern because the dastardly act of assault and threats of loss of life, forcing him to flee from his home.
Sources near the journalist informed the Instances that for private security and safety causes, Latif, who can be founding father of Journalists Sanctuary Worldwide, a corporation that champions advocacy for press freedom and security of journalist, has gone into hiding due to the risk and suspicious maneuvering on the Accra Circuit Court docket by sympathizers of Theophilus Thompson, one of many suspects who has been arrested and is presently present process trial.
He’s presently being housed in a shelter by the Whistleblowers and Journalist Security Worldwide Middle, a corporation based by the famend a number of award successful undercover investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, to offer safety and preservation for whistleblowers and journalists who face hazard and threats in line of obligation.
Sources on the Larger Accra regional command of the Ghana Police service say it’s ready for a courtroom order to compel a telecommunication firm in Ghana to unveil the id of the one who despatched the threatening message.
If granted, the courtroom order will play a central position in figuring out the one who despatched the intimidating textual content message to the journalist.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
