Mr Roland Affail Monney, a senior journalist, says excesses by operatives of National Security on Citi FM journalists can pass for “wickedness at its most naked nastiness.

He said the misbehaviour of the operatives could “exert a significant chilling effect on the media landscape as a whole” and admonished the Committee of Enquiry set up by the Ministry of National Security to quickly move into action to impartiality unravel all the circumstances surrounding the issue.

Mr Monney said this at a press conference to set the records straight and to comment on the “raging storm over the molestation of two reporters.”

He entreated the Committee to implement the findings and recommendations with urgent promptitude to give meaning to the nation’s motto as a land of Freedom and Justice.

He said the “intrinsic value and inherent dignity” of the two Citi FM reporters, who were attacked, had their rights blatantly violated and their freedom as journalists, scandalously abused.

Mr Monney, who until recently was the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, said under his presidency, attacks or threats against journalists, irrespective of the perpetrators or victims, received outright condemnation.

“So, there is no way the latest ones against the Citi FM journalists will be swept under the carpet. Not at all. Indeed, the ordeal as narrated by the journalists is heart-rending, soul-wrenching, mind-boggling, and earth-shattering,” he said.

Caleb Kudah, a journalist with Citi FM and Citi TV, was reported to have been arrested and allegedly molested by operatives of National Security for allegedly filming the premises of the National Security Ministry.

His colleague, Zoe Abu-Baidoo, was also picked up as an accomplice.

Mr Monney said on Wednesday, May 12, around 1740 hours, he granted an interview at the Kumasi Airport to a radio station and, “admittedly, the information I had was sketchy.”

“So I reluctantly went ahead to speak to the issue. I began by instinctively and profoundly expressing my tenderest solicitude to and fullest solidarity with the two journalists.”

“Indeed, I faulted Caleb whom I thought was openly filming a video at the Ministry of National Security before his arrest. I, however, added pointedly that the alleged ethical breach did not and does not justify the inordinate use of force and intimidatory tactics against the poor journalists.”

“I roundly condemned the massive invasion of Citi FM premises by security operatives to scale up the degree of intimidation against the entire staff and management. I again said that the response by these security operatives was totally out of proportion to the so-called offence by Caleb. It clearly violated the law of proportionality.”

“Unsurprisingly, my condemnation of the office invasion and physical brutalisation was muted while my comment on Caleb’s ethical style was tilted and overly highlighted, obviously to achieve certain sensational ends.”

Mr Monney said he took note of the righteous indignation and emotional overdrive over the issue and rendered a sincere apology for any misimpression created that he was insensitive to the plight of the journalists. And I totally denounce them.”   He said the misbehaviour of the operatives could “exert a significant chilling effect on the media landscape as a whole” and admonished the Committee of Enquiry set up by the Ministry of National Security to quickly move into action to impartiality unravel all the circumstances surrounding the issue.

Mr Monney said this at a press conference to set the records straight and to comment on the “raging storm over the molestation of two reporters.”

He entreated the Committee to implement the findings and recommendations with urgent promptitude to give meaning to the nation’s motto as a land of Freedom and Justice.

He said the “intrinsic value and inherent dignity” of the two Citi FM reporters, who were attacked, had their rights blatantly violated and their freedom as journalists, scandalously abused.