Don’t let Lt. Col. Agyeman’s new role stall investigation into alleged abuse on journalist – Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

• The Majority Leader says despite Col. Agyeman's new appointment, investigations need to be concluded

• Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman has been appointed as the Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment

• He added it will be inappropriate for the Ghana Armed Forces to hold onto the military officer’s promotion

Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has said Lt. Col. Agyeman’s new appointment should not stall the investigation into his involvement in the alleged assault of journalist Caleb Kudah.

According to him, the investigations must be concluded to help institute measures that will prevent the assault of citizens at the hands of National Security operatives and other security agencies.

The Majority Leader stated in a Joy News report monitored by GhanaWeb that “Anything that is done to a citizen that we think cannot be accommodated by the law is condemnable. The Armed Forces have their own way of promotion, maybe his promotion is due and that was why perhaps they have promoted him.”

He added, “I do not know but it would still not prevent investigations into the matter, and if he is found culpable and he has to be demoted or whatever appropriate sanction that should be meted out to him by the structures, should be done.”

The Suame MP believes that, despite the new development, it will be inappropriate for the Ghana Armed Forces to hold onto the military officer’s promotion until investigations are over.

“But on account of that if the matter has not been thoroughly investigated and something is due him would you see the less put a hold to it? I will not pretend to know how they (Ghana Armed Forces) do their own honours, but I’m just saying that even if that has been done meritoriously it should not stall the investigation.

“I don’t want us to let it appear as if this is only a two-day event. It happened yesterday, it happened the day before yesterday, perhaps this should provide a watershed for all of us to rise to say that these things are becoming too many. It is one too many, let’s put a hold to it,” he noted.

Lt. Col. Frank Agyeman and three others were sent down to their mother agencies for further investigations and appropriate sanctions following their alleged misconduct in the manhandling of Caleb Kudah for filming at National Security premises.

“The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman at the Ministry has been reversed. The officer is to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigation and appropriate action,” National Security’s letter communicated.