The Ranking member of Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior and the Member of Parliament for Builsa North, Mr. James Agalga, has called for the immediate resignation of the National Security Minister, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, over alleged torture of some two journalists.
Mr. Agalga indicated that the unlawful arrest and subsequent torture of the two modernghana.com journalists, for an alleged cybercrime was under the supervision of Mr. Kan. Dapaah.
In a press briefing at Parliament, Mr. Agalga pointed out that the action of the National Security, to wrongfully arrest the two modernghana.com journalists and allegedly torture them is unacceptable.
The Ranking Member added that the alleged torture of the journalists is in breach of the 1992 Constitution and that serious action must be taken immediately to avert future occurrences.
He reiterated that the reoccurring brutalities of the National Security in the country is an abuse of State powers.
Mr. Agalga added that the immediate resignation of Mr. Kan-Dapaah will serve as a deterrent to others.
On Thursday, June 27, 2019, the office of modernghana.com was raided by some National Security operatives due to an alleged cybercrime.
The operatives arrested the editor, Mr. Emmanuel Ajarfor Abugri and a reporter, Mr. Emmanuel Biritwum and took them to an unknown location.
The two staff of the online media house were released from the custody of the National Security nearly forty-eight hours after their arrest.
After their release, Mr. Ajarfor Abugri in an interview indicated that he was tortured by the National Security Operatives at an unknown location.
He, however, explained that he was never questioned on any alleged cybercrime, but rather, questioned on some publications on the online portal of their media house.
In a rebuttal to the claims of Mr. Ajarfor Abugri, the National Security Secretariat in a press statement averred that the operatives did not torture Mr. Ajarfor Abugri.
The Secretariat added that the journalists would be arraigned before the court on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, for alleged cybercrime.
Checks from the cause list at the Accra Circuit Court by ghanajustice.com has revealed that no such case has been filed in court.
Also, checks with the Court’s Registrar has also revealed that no such case has been filed by the State.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
