Ahmed Suale Remembered On 4th Death Anniversary
Today, January 16 marks four years since the murder of investigative journalist Ahmed Suale at Madina in Accra.
The police are yet to make any arrests following his murder.
His death has been attributed to his role in the Number 12 investigative piece which uncovered gross corruption in the Ghana Football Association (GFA) in 2018 by a section of Ghanaians.
The investigative piece was a massive blow to some officials of the FA including then FA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi-who subsequently resigned- and referees.
This was followed by a broadcast by Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong revealing the face behind the undercover piece on his television station, NET 2 TV.
He also incited the public against Ahmed.
“Slap him, in fact, beat him, anything that happens I will pay,” Kennedy said in the viral video.
Ahmed was murdered a few months later in his car around his neighbourhood while on his way home on January 16, 2019, by unidentified men on motorbikes.
He sustained three gunshots- two in his chest and one in his neck.
The legislator has denied having a hand in his murder.
He was invited by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following the murder.
Last December, President Akufo-Addo promised to bring perpetrators of the crime to book while addressing an audience at a Christmas dinner organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
“I continue to be deeply regretful that despite the unseasoned best effort of the police, the perpetrators of the murder of Ahmed Suale can still not be found. But I assure you that, so far as I remain, President, the dossier cannot be closed until they are brought to justice.”
The Police Service has established a Cold Case Unit which deals with such famous cases but no development has been relayed.
“Three years on the spin, the assassination of Ahmed Suale of Tiger Eye fame in the most heinous of circumstances has been a stain on Ghana’s reputation as a land of freedom and justice, a citadel of media freedom, and a beacon of democratic accomplishment in Africa. Assurance upon the assurance of arresting the perpetrators has remained hollow rhetoric”.
“Soon after his appointment last year, we received with hope the announcement by the IGP Dr George Akuffo Dampare that a special unit had been established by the police to handle all such unresolved cases of brutalities against journalists. That hope is wobbling”, former GJA President Affail Monney said on Press Freedom Day last year.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a colleague of Ahmed, took to Twitter on the fourth anniversary to remember the departed “Soldier”.
He posted the video footage of Kennedy Agyapong exposing the face of Ahmed in 2018 and subsequently threatening him.
He captioned, “How Ahmed Was Murdered 4 years ago. Today marks 4 years since the assassination of Ahmed Suale. This is the sequence of events that led to his murder on 16th January 2019. Some of you have seen it, others may not have. Rest in Power Soldier. We will continue to fight.”
The video ends with the statement, “we shall not be silenced in our fight against corruption. Journalism is not a crime”.
https://twitter.com/anasglobal/status/1614924813180751875?s=20&t=LJfqvP6PPnIhCdR2T3vunQ
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
