I Was Slapped, Kicked In The Groin By National Security Officials – Citi FM’s Caleb Kudah Recounts Ordeal
A journalist with Accra-based Citi FM, Caleb Kudah has recounted his traumatic experience while in the custody of the National Security Operatives on Tuesday.
Speaking to Bernard Avle, he indicated that after his arrest, he was assaulted by the security officials in order to provide some information they required.
Caleb revealed that he was slapped multiple times despite pleading to be released after he admitted to filming at the premises of the National Security in Accra.
“They took me to a police post where I met DSP Azugu but this time the gentleman had told everybody that I had come there and breached the protocols trying to cause problem.
“All the police officers there became agitated and aggressive towards me so they took me to a smaller office and I showed them my ID and I told them that I am from Citi, I agree I shouldn’t have taken them, let’s delete it and please let me go but they wouldn’t.
“He said, ‘take his statement.’ He pushed me, I sat on the chair. They slapped me from the back. These are police officers, men in uniform. Some were bearded and had guns,” he recounted.
He further pointed out that, although he was put in handcuffs, the assault against him grew intense with him feeling dizzy at a point in time.
“They were still beating me slapping me from the back, I will be talking to another one and someone will come and slap me from the back and you feel dizzy at once. At this point, they had handcuffed me and every now and again one will come and press it harder so that I feel the pain.
“Along the line, a man identified as Agyeman came in and I tried to talk to him, and immediately, he asked me to kneel down and he kicked me in the groin. I tried to plead with him that Sir they have beaten me enough. I beg you please let me go because he told me to kneel down, he kicked me in the groin,” he added.
Mr Kudah also accused the security officials of impersonation in order to draw information from his colleague, Zoe Abu-Baidoo after they confiscated his phone.
“They had taken my phone and they were looking through my chat and then they found out that I had sent photos to Zoe that is when the gentleman started chatting Zoe as though I was the one talking to her.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the National Security operatives stormed the premises of the Adabraka-based station to whisk away Zoe Abu-Biadoo after picking up Caleb Kudah.
The two journalists were accused of filming and disseminating a video taken at the premises of the National Security Ministry.
But after hours of interrogation, the two were released by the security operative.