The Tamale District Court has convicted and sentenced two men – a former official of the National Democratic Congress and his accomplice who invaded a radio station in Tamale and attacked a presenter hosting a live show.
According to the Ghana Police Service, Iddrisu Hardi alias Pagaaza and his accomplice, Mumuni Osman, were put before the court on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, assault, unlawful entry and threat of death. They pleaded guilty to all the charges and were sentenced accordingly on Wednesday, 10th May 2023.
“The two accused persons pleaded guilty to all four counts of charges and were convicted on their own plea, and subsequently sentenced to a fine of Three Thousand, Six Hundred Ghana
Cedis (GH₵3, 600.00) or in default serve a custodial sentence of 18 months
imprisonment in hard labour,” the law enforcement agency said in a statement on its Facebook page.
The convicts paid their fines to the Court and the police, in the statement indicated that their faces have been unveiled because they are no longer suspects but convicts.
A few days ago, Hardi Pagazaa, a former Deputy Communication Officer for the NDC and Mumuni Osman were captured in a widely condemned video in which they stormed the radio station called Dagbon Radio and attacked the presenter, Sadiq Abubakari Gariba.
Before the attack, there had been a panel discussion about the Ghana National Fire Service in the region.
With the microphone on and the presenter’s headphones on his head, the two intruders swiftly surrounded Gariba who was still trying to figure out what was happening, and then held him by the neck amid baying and issuance of threats.
“What have I done to you?” Hardi Pagazaa is heard asking the presenter after storming the studios of the radio station.
Then his accomplice, Osman screamed: “Stop mentioning his name if you don’t want to die.”
Sadiq Abubakari Gariba managed to stand up to the two attackers and dragged them out of the studio before the altercation escalated outside amid threats before he eventually returned to the studio.
As to what fueled the attack, the radio presenter told Joy News: “Before I started the show, I played a tape in which he mentioned me on a sister station. So, I said, ‘No, this guy is not worth commenting on. I will not comment on him because he does not seem to be credible, and I do not want to discuss such people on my show.
He reported the matter to the police, and the Ministry of Information and the Ghana Journalists Association subsequently urged the police to bring the attackers to book swiftly.
