GJA calls for probe into assault on Graphic Reporter

 
The Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) has called on the security agencies probe into assault on Daily Graphic Reporter.
On Thursday August 6, 2020 a journalist rendering his national service with the Graphic Communication Group Limited was assaulted and nearly lynched by some students of Bright Senior High School at Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region.
Damalie Emmanuel Pacome, a graduate journalist from the Ghana Institute of Journalism was attacked by these hoodlums in uniform parading as students when he went to Bright Senior High School to investigate a clash between officials of WAEC and final year students who were writing their exams.
The students reportedly emerged from the examination hall on the orders of a management member of the school to attack the WAEC officials who came around to monitor the examination.
According to the reports, but for the timely intervention of a commercial driver, Mr Pacome would have been lynched by the rampaging students.
The GJA has since condemned the mob attack on and has called for a thorough investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators.
 
Read full statement below:
 
GJA DEMANDS INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF ATTACKERS OF A DAILY GRAPHIC REPORTER
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) was smacked by an act of savagery on Thursday August 6, 2020 when a journalist rendering his national service with the Graphic Communication Group Limited was assaulted and nearly lynched by some students of Bright Senior High School at Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region.
Damalie Emmanuel Pacome, a graduate journalist from the Ghana Institute of Journalism was attacked by these hoodlums in uniform parading as students when he went to Bright Senior High School to investigate a clash between officials of WAEC and final year students who were writing their exams.
The students reportedly emerged from the examination hall on the orders of a management member of the school to attack the WAEC officials who came around to monitor the examination.
According to the reports, but for the timely intervention of a commercial driver, Mr Pacome would have been lynched by the rampaging students.
He was chased out from the school by the students when they spotted him filming the school premises.
The students reportedly pelted him with stones whiles others chased him with knives, cutlasses, sticks and other weapons and called him a thief just to incite the community to  join the mob attack.
They seized his mobile phone, some amount of money and all his identity cards and ATM cards. Mr Pacome sustained several degrees of injury. The young journalist reported the matter to the Kukurantumi Police Station and was issued with a police medical forms. He was treated and discharged at the Tafo Government Hospital.
The students who attacked Mr Pacome claimed that, they had paid huge sums of monies to facilitate their success hence they would not allow any journalist to ruin their effort.
The GJA condemns this mob attack on Mr Pacome and calls for a thorough investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators.
This action should be within the context of dealing with recent acts, gross indiscipline and vandalism in various Senior High Schools in the country before the situation spins out of control.
Without any intention of opening old wounds, the brutal mob attack and killing of one of Ghana’s gallant soldiers Major Maxwell Mahama of blessed memory in line of his duty is still fresh on our minds.
The mob attack and nearly lynching of Damelia Pacome has afflicted our souls and caused irremediable pains in our heart. But for the divine intervention of God Ghana would have wakened with a gory news of another mob attack and killing of a young journalist.
Meanwhile,the GJA has been talking to the  of the Eastern Regional Police Command. We are particularly interested in this matter and we expect the police administration to handle it swiftly and ensure that justice is served.
We wish to send a strong caution to all groups and individuals that the Ghana Journalists Association will resist fearlessly any attempt of attack. We will not appear vulnerable again in our quest to serve society with credible accurate news with speed.
The GJA wishes Mr Pacome a speedy recovery and assures him of our unflinching support.
 
Signed
Maxwell Kudekor
Chairman –E/R
GJA
0242027285
 
 
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com