The Director of Operations at the National Security, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, and three other police officers have been sacked following an assault on Citi Fm’s journalist Caleb Kudah on May 11, 2021.
In a statement signed by the Minister for National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah, three other officers were also sacked from the Ministry of National Security after an investigation established that their conduct during the arrest of a Citi FM report, Caleb Kudah, “was inappropriate and contravened the standard operating procedures” of the ministry.
The statement says “the officer [Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman} is to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigation and appropriate action and the three (3) Police officers involved have been withdrawn and are to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigation and disciplinary action.”
Background
Citi Fm’s Caleb Kudah was arrested for filming some abandoned MASLOC cars parked within the premises of the National Security Ministry.
His colleague Zoe Abu-Baidoo, was also picked up later at the premises of Citi FM/Citi TV in a raid for receiving some files from Caleb Kudah.
Read FULL details below.
ACTION ON THE COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE ARREST OF THE CITI FM JOURNALIST AT THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY
An investigation Committee was set up by the Ministry of National Security to investigate a report of arrest of Mr Caleb Kudah of Citi FM on May 11, 2021.
The Committee established that the conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman (Director of Operations) and some police officers at the Ministry on the said day was inappropriate and contravened the Ministry’s standard operating procedures.
The Committee also established that the journalist’s unauthorized entry into the premises of the Ministry of National Security was unlawful.
The following actions have thus been taken by the Ministry:
The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman (Director of Operations) at the Ministry has been reversed. The officer is to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigation and appropriate action.
The three (3) Police officers involved have been withdrawn and are to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigation and disciplinary action.
The Ministry of National Security wishes to assure the general public and particularly all media practitioners that the Ministry will expeditiously investigate any complaints against any personnel of its Agencies.
The tenets of National Security in Ghana should be based on a Whole-of-Government and a Whole-of Society approach and cooperation from all well-meaning Ghanaians.
The Ministry assures the general public that measures continue to be taken to ensure the highest professional standards to engender public trust.
HON. ALBERT KAN-DAPAAH
MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
