Ghanaian journalist Eric Nana Gyetuah was assaulted for taking photos of police

Eric Nana​ ​Gyetuah, a producer with the privately-owned broadcaster Connect FM, was attacked by at least five officers wearing plain clothes about 1:30 p.m. on February 3 in the western city of Takoradi​ in Ghana. ​

Ghanaian journalist Eric Nana Gyetuah (before and after the attack against him)

According to the sources, Gyetuah photographed the officers while they sat in a restaurant with their guns displayed and accompanied by men in handcuffs; when the officers saw him taking photos, one approached Gyetuah and demanded it be turned over.

When Gyetuah refused, the officer grabbed the phone and began beating him with his fists and guns until his face was soaked in blood. Gyetuah was dragged to a police vehicle, handcuffed, and taken to the station, where the officers said he was charged with taking pictures without their consent​.​

Gyetuah was allowed to leave the station at 5 p.m. after a colleague posted bail by signing a surety for him, according to that journalist and those news reports.

Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called for those responsible for the assault on Connect FM's Journalist, Eric Nana Gyetuah, to face the full force of the law.​ ​The Association, in this regard, issued a press release to condemn the attack on the journalist.

“The GJA is struggling to come to terms with reports of policemen who renounced the use of reason and abandoned their code of conduct to brutally assault Eric Nana Gyetuah, Producer at an FM in Takoradi for filming them in a public place,” portions of the release signed by GJA President, Affail Monney read

Mr Monney further called for a speedy conclusion on the investigation into the assault, adding that “GJA applauds the despatch with which the IGP directed that police investigation be carried out into the case.”

Also touching on the attack at Radio Ada, Mr Monney demanded an ‘expeditious enquiry’ into the alleged armed robbery attack on the victim, Korle Adjator, of the Community Radio station.

He added that “we expect that the law will take its course no matter how complex the issues might be.”

He said, “the magnitude and closeness of the two incidents send worrying signals, especially, to international media watchers who still regard Ghana as a reference point of press freedom and democracy in Africa.”