Owusu-Bempah’s macho men in new trouble

While Apostle Isaac Owusu-Bempah, leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International is sleeping in police cells, the Ghana Police Service has said it is investigating the circumstances under which a group of men with heavily built muscles attacked journalists who were on official assignment at the premises of the court last Monday.

On the same matter, the Ghana Journalists Association, (GJA) has issued a statement calling for a swift investigation, arrest and prosecution of the suspected culprits.

“With brazen impunity, well-muscled men of the church reportedly prevented the court reporters from gaining access to the room to perform their legitimate duty and visited mayhem on those who dared them. All this happened at the citadel of justice.

“The Ghanaian media community is once again enduring excruciating pain following the inglorious attacks perpetrated by loyalists of the Head Pastor of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah at the premises of an Accra High court where he is standing trial for alleged assault and other offences”, the GJA said in a statement.

The association welcomed the apology from the Ghana Police Service following the incident but insisted that the “uncouth men of Owusu Bempah” should be made to face the law.

“While we welcome the apology of the Police Administration and assurance of future protection for journalists, the GJA principally holds the view that the timely gesture of the rebranded Ghana Police does not and should not absolve the offenders from tasting the biting edge of the law as articulated by Article 17(1) of the Constitution which simply says no one is above the law.”

“We urge the law and order community not to allow the latest attacks against journalists to be overshadowed by the dominant case or swept under the carpet. Justice must manifestly and expeditiously be done to the victims to amplify the message that no one is indeed above the law.”

The Ghana Police Service has apologised to journalists who got attacked and said it is investigating the incident.

“We wish to give the assurance that journalists will be fully protected and allowed to do their work at all times including the subsequent coverage of the case,” the statement from the Police Administration added.

The statement signed by the Police’s Acting Director-General of Public Affairs, ACP Kwesi Ofori also revealed that it is investigating the footage of the purported incident to identify and bring perpetrators to book.

The September 14 press release insisted that “we will continue to do everything possible to deepen the cordial Police-Media relationship.”