The Ghana Police Service has released a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist and his cameraman after they were picked up during protests at the Jubilee House on Thursday, September 21.
Pressure group Democracy Hub embarked on protests despite caution from the police, and the two media men were there to cover the event.
However, they were rounded up together with scores of other demonstrators and kept in police custody.
A few hours later, the police explained that “in dispersing the illegal demonstrators, a group of them were picked up and sent to the police station. During their screening process, two persons identified themselves as journalists and were immediately allowed to go.
“While we assure the public of our commitment to work with all stakeholders in our quest to ensure security, law and order, we want to urge all the other stakeholders to be circumspect in the discharge of their responsibilities since they have implications for the image and reputation of other stakeholders.”
The suspects were arrested due to their disregard for a court order which sought to prohibit them from staging the protest in the vicinity of the Jubilee House.
The statement described their action as unlawful and a violation of the Public Order Act.
“The 49 suspects who are currently in custody assisting in the investigation were arrested within the vicinity of the Jubilee House and the 37 Military Hospital area,” the police said.
This comes after the police had obtained a court injunction banning the protest.
However, the protestors defied the injunction and attempted to march to the official residence of Ghana’s president.
Meanwhile, the protest organisers have denied receiving any court order preventing them from proceeding with the demonstration.
The group is protesting over the rising cost of living and the government’s perceived failure to address the concerns of the people of Ghana.
