Latif Iddrisu vrs IGP trial: 3rd judge adopts proceedings 8 years after life-threatening assault on journalist

A human rights court presided over by His Lordship, Abass Abubakari Adams, has adjourned to April 2, 2025, the continuation of the trial involving Multimedia journalist Latif Iddrisu and the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney-General.

Tuesday’s adjournment follows the adoption of the case by the new judge.

His Lordship Abass Abubakari Adams is the third judge to preside over the protracted, high-profile assault case, eight years after the assault.

At the last adjourned date, Senior State Attorney Nancynetta Twumasi Asiamah who has been representing the Inspector General of Police, raised concerns about what she described as the omission of certain submissions she made in court on May 12, 2023.

She also raised concerns about some spelling mistakes that needed to be corrected before the adoption of proceedings by the new judge.

On Tuesday, March 25 when the case was called, the same concerns were raised by the Senior State Attorney.

However, after reading the record of proceedings of May 12, 2023, as captured by his predecessor, His Lordship Abass Abubakari Adams only allowed for the correction of two spelling mistakes to reflect the proceedings of May 12, 2023.

The new judge however, declined to include the said omitted objection by the Senior State Attorney into the court records. He explained that once the said submission was not captured by his predecessor, he felt uncomfortable to be the one to add it to the record of the court.

Samson Lardy Anyenini who is lead counsel for the journalist and Multimedia Group Ltd, explained that the said omitted submission is immaterial given that the Senior State Attorney later “gave in” to the decision of the previous judge to allow the trial to continue, and the second witness of the plaintiff be cross-examined as prayed by lawyers for the journalist.

Latif Iddrisu was brutally assaulted in line of duty by police officers at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service in March, 2017.

The Police Administration has publicly stated that the CCTV cameras at the headquarters of the CID did not capture the assault of the journalist on the night he suffered a featured skull when he was hit in the head with the butt of a gun.

The Police Administration initially committed to compensate the journalist but reneged on that promise, forcing the journalist and his employer, the Multimedia Group to seek justice at the court.

Eight years after sustaining the life-threatening injury as a result of the assault, the journalist who has been undergoing medical treatment in the US state of California, is also fighting for justice at the court.

The Ghana Journalists Association has threatened to go to the ECOWAS court if no significant progress is made on Latif’s case and the assassination of undercover journalist Ahmed Suale.

Latif Iddrisu is to be cross-examined when the case is called again on April 2.

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