Ablekuma North Re-run: Officer who slapped journalist was arrogant – Accra Mayor

The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has sharply criticised the conduct of a police officer involved in an assault on a journalist during the parliamentary election rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency on Friday, July 11, 2025.

The officer, whose identity is yet to be disclosed, was captured in a viral video physically assaulting EIB Network reporter Kwabena Agyekum Banahene.

The journalist, who was clearly identified in a branded outfit, was slapped during the encounter after he attempted to explain his presence at the polling station.

Speaking to the media, Mayor Allotey described the officer as “arrogant and hot-tempered,” recounting his own encounter with the officer earlier in the day.

“I was standing there and he tapped me to move. I told him I’m the mayor, and only then did he jump back. Imagine I was also arrogant—what would’ve happened?” the Mayor said.

He added that the officer appeared aggressive even towards his superiors and insisted that such behavior had no place in a democratic electoral process.

“Because the way he tapped me here, his colleagues can tell you, he was tapping me to go out. Then he realized I was a mayor, then he relaxed. You don’t do that. You don’t treat people anyhow. You don’t have to treat people. You have to know people before you treat them right. We are all Ghanaians,” he emphasized.

Following public outrage, the Ghana Police Service confirmed the interdiction of the officer and referred him to the Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) for investigation.

In a statement, the Police assured the public of a thorough probe and pledged to provide updates as the investigation progresses.

EIB Network has also condemned the assault and urged swift action from government and security agencies to curb the rising trend of attacks on journalists.

The rerun, supervised by the Electoral Commission, involved 19 polling stations in the Ablekuma North Constituency where results from the December 2024 general elections were disputed.