Armed Policemen Invade Radio Station to Arrest Presenter

Armed policemen last Friday, August 2nd, stormed a community radio station, Radio Ada, in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region to arrest a presenter for making accountability comments.

The three riffle-wielding, uniformed men and two officers from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) besieged the station to arrest a reggae show host, Joseph Korletey Korley, popularly known as DJ Koxterio, for sharing on air his views on and calling for accountability from Chiefs of the Ada Traditional Area regarding funds raised from previous annual Asafotufiami festivals.

DJ Koxterio, who has been with the station for years, made the comment on his Thursday afternoon “Raggae Train” show.

“I had conversation with a friend who tells me to pray that he (friend) does not become a DCE else, and that he would not commit funds to support the Asafotufiami festival since monies meant for the celebration do end up in the pockets of two or three individuals,” he quoted the friend on air, and proceeded to demand accountability from the elders.

The call took a different dimension, following the reported misrepresentation of the case by a leading Divisional Chief of the area (name withheld), and a call for a probe by some former District Chief Executives into the matter.

The security personnel consequently stormed the studios to arrest the presenter, but the deputy station coordinator, Noah Dameh, intervened and pleaded with the police that he would personally produce the presenter.

As at the time of filing the story, reports say Mr. Dameh later produced the popular DJ at the police station. It is not clear if any charges had been preferred against him but sources say the Ada police asked him to go and report himself later.

By: Daniel Akpaloo Nyornmor, Big-Ada