Modernghana Brouhaha: I was not tortured …Says Reporter

Mr Emmanuel Britwum, one of the two ModernGhana journalists has denied media reports which suggested National Security operatives tortured him after his arrest and detention last Thursday. 

In a statement issued through his lawyer Debora Asabere-Ameyaw on Wednesday, 3 July 2019, Mr Britwum said he was “neither tortured nor brutalised” in any way as alleged.

Mr. Britwum in the statement further said he disassociates himself from the claims of torture against him and could not confirm that his editor, Ajafor Abugri was brutalized either.

“It is the case of my client that some attempt have been made in the media to draw in into the raging debate over an alleged unlawful arrest and torture-laden interrogation of Mr. Ajafor by the National Security,” the statement said.

Independent Probe

Meanwhile President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Affail Monney has called for an independent probe of the torture allegations made against the National Security.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Monney said the association was monitoring the progress of the case.

He added that “we believe that the time has come to move it to a new level by instituting an independent investigation into what happened to the two journalists.”

Background

Emmanuel Ajarfor, the Modern Ghana editor, was detained alongside a fellow journalist, Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum.

The case has been surrounded by controversy after suggestions that the arrest of the two journalists was tied to the publication of an article that criticized the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah.

Mr. Ajarfor later claimed he was tortured and his digital privacy violated while in National Security custody.

The National Security Council Secretariat has denied the torture claims and also intends to study the medical reports.

The secretariat in a statement said,  “Torture and manhandling of suspects are not part and parcel of the culture and architecture of the secretariat under the administration of President Akufo-Addo. We wish to categorically state that the suspect, during questioning, was never manhandled, neither was he subjected to any form of forced physical contact,”

It continued: “We are confident that the results of the medical examination will present the truth in the matter, so as to inform the appropriate steps to be taken…. The Secretariat reassures the general public that it will, at all times, continue to respect the rule of law in all of its operations.”