BNI Defends Detention of Akufo-Addo's Photographer (read more)

Officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) have defended their decision to detain the photographer of the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo and a member of the NPP security. According to Joy News sources, the BNI believes the two men will be able to help with the investigations of the case involving the three South African ex-cops who were arrested in March for training security detail of Nana Akufo-Addo. The two men were detained because officials of the BNI wanted to find out if they would change their mind and fill the “Suspect Personality Profile Form”, Joy News found out. The BNI also says when they are interrogating a suspect who is accompanied by witnesses, the witnesses are required to be profiled. But speaking to Joy News, Captain Koda said the two men were detained because they refused to fill the "Suspect Personality Profile Form". Narrating the incident, Captain Koda said after he was detained by officials of the BNI in March following the arrest of the three South African ex-cops who were said to be engaging in activities considered a threat to national security. He said before BNI officials searched his residence, he was requested to provide two witnesses to be present at the time of the search. "I volunteered the photographer of the NPP flagbearer and one other who is a member of the NPP security team," he narrated. Captain Koda disclosed that at the end of the search BNI officials took “with them some documents and items such as metal detectors used in Hotels and Airports to check vehicles entering [the premises]”. He said he received a phone call on Easter Monday, March 28, “ to come and collect the items” taken from his residence and was directed to come in the company of the two witnesses. He said on the first visit, they were all asked to fill the "Suspect Personality Profile Form" which he did but the two declined with the explanation that the two would contact their lawyers before doing so. When they got there for the second time, the two declined to fill the form because their lawyers had advised them against that. "I filled the form because I am a suspect," he said, adding he disagreed with the call for the two men to also fill the form. He was later told that he could not leave with the two men because an “order from above” has instructed for them to be detained. He described the content of the form as laughable because it asked questions such as “the color of one’s eyes, heights, teeth, passport number” among others which he said has never been part of Ghanaians. Responding to the issue, Press Secretary to NPP flagbearer, Eugene Arhin expressed worry about the development adding it was wrong for the BNI officials to detain the two because of their refusal to fill the “Suspect personality profile form”. “We don’t expect that in a democracy and if that is happening we have to be worried”, Arhin said. He explained the behavior of the BNI as an attempt to silence the leadership and members of the NPP. “This attempt to cow us [NPP] must stop”, he said.

Source: Joy News