UPDN to petition IGP three yrs on over murder of Ahmed Suale

The United Press for Development Network (UPDN) says it will on Monday, January 17, petition the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare to investigate the murder of Tiger Eye PI chief undercover investigator, Ahmed Hussein Suale.

According to the group in a press statement, its decision stems from the lack of commitment by government to ensure the perpetrators who orchestrated such heinous crime three years ago are brought to justice.

Remembering Ahmed Suale three years on, UPDN, noted that it is hopeful the current administration of the Police Service will see to it that investigations are carried out expeditiously.

“For us, Government has demonstrated a lack of political will to bring closure to the gruesome murder of Ahmed Suale and this does not only undermine the credentials of President Akufo-Addo and the Justice system but it is a dangerous precedent for press freedom and Ghana’s democratic governance.

“The brutal killing of Ahmed Suale coupled with a supposed absence of evidence in bringing his killers to justice and lack of progress in investigations three years after his murder is a blot on our justice system.

“As we plan to formally petition the current Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo Dampare, on Monday 17th January 2022, we believe that things will be pursued differently under his administration,” part of the statement dated January 14, read.

Meanwhile, the United Press for Development Network has raised concerns over the surge in grave violations committed against journalists in Ghana with the prevailing high level of impunity.

To end the manace, the group has urged the security services to ensure that state actors who have a lot to hide and through illegitimate means, therefore, target journalists doing their constitutionally mandated work are revealed and brought to book.

They want the ghastly murder of Ahmed Suale to be the last media-related assassin in the country’s history.

“Wherever journalists are being murdered for exposing corruption, reporting on organized crime, abuse of power, human rights violations, and perpetrators of those crimes are not prosecuted, it is a sign that statehood is used to protect culprits. And we must stand against this monstrous development in Ghana,” it added.

The UPDN insists that watching such crimes go unpunished will “thwart critical journalistic information, public
confidence and welcome censorship as the ultimate consequence.”

For that reason, has admonished government to increase its efforts to ensure the safety of journalists.

On the other hand, the UPDN will on May 3, hold its 3rd Ahmed Suale Press Freedom Memorial Lecture (Press Freedom Series). The day coincides with World Press Freedom Day.

Tiger Eye PI chief undercover investigator, Ahmed Suale, was on January 16, 2019 murdered at Madina in Accra.

His demise followed his final investigation (Number 12), which exposed corruption at the Ghana Football Association

Source: myjoyonline