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The Adjabeng Magistrate Court has ordered two staff of the Ablekuma District office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to pay GHȼ 7500 as damages for assaulting an editor and two reporters of Adom FM.

The court also ordered the defendants to publish an apology letter in major newspapers in the country.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Samson Lardy Anyenini filed the suit September 11, 2014 after the defendants, Israel Ayeh and Richjoyce Armah had allegedly assaulted the journalists in the lawful discharge of their duties.

Background

Adom FM's Editor, Afia Pokua popularly known as Vim Lady and two other journalists – Nana Sefa and Shadrach Kofi Assan - were allegedly brutalized by the Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme at Ablekuma in Accra.

Nana Sefa, a reporter with the station, had gone there to report on the frustrations and complaints of persons who had been queueing since 3am to go through biometric registration, but had his mobile phone confiscated by Israel Kwame Aryeh, the Scheme Manager of the NHIS there.

Mr. Aryeh detained the reporter, insisting he would only release him if his Editor came there.

But things took a different turn when Afia Pokua got there in the company of another reporter, Kofi Assan.

Attempts by the News Editor, Pokua, to retrieve the phone infuriated Mr. Laryeh who, with the support of some members of his staff, pounced on her and assaulted her. She was dragged into a gutter and left with injuries on her thighs, legs, hands.

Kofi Assan on the other hand, received a number of 'dirty' slaps which left him dazed and with blood in his eyes. He also lost his mobile phone. Nana Sefa, apart from having all the contents of his mobile phone wiped off and the film on his camera exposed, received his share of the beatings.

After a year of litigation, their counsel, Samson Lardy Anyenini said the verdict is victory for all journalists in the country.