By Abdul Razak Bawa
It is almost two years now since the investigative journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale was shot to death near his family home in Madina, in very painfully controversial circumstances.
Ahmed Suale, was killed on January 16, 2019.
Since then, controversy has continued to trail Ahmed Hussein-Suale’s murder as his family and those close to him maintain that the narratives about his demise were far from the stories being told by the Ghana Police service, especially the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Well-meaning and concerned Ghanaians believe that the investigative journalist was assassinated because of his work in exposing corrupt officials.
The situation of his murder is further compounded by the conflicting reports on the assailants, who once upon a time were said to have been arrested by the police.
It will be recalled that on April 2, 2019, the Police administration said, it has interrogated 13 suspects in connection with the murder of a journalist with investigative firm, Tiger Eye PI, Ahmed Hussein Suale.
According to the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Maame Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, one key suspect is currently being held on remand in police custody.
The CID boss, further revealed that other suspects, including the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong and Anas Aremeyaw Anas, have all been interrogated over the murder.
It is just not enough to put up such claim. There must be incontrovertible evidence to prove it; otherwise, the police CID, would be deemed to be playing a fast one, in the circumstance, for reasons best known to it. Some people have even insinuated that the police might have resorted to this fatal gambit, in order to shield the real masterminds behind the dastardly act.
Two years on after the dust rose over the investigative Journalist’s death, his family are yet to bring a closure to his murder.
Ghana, unfortunately is among the countries where we have a lot of unresolved murders. It is sad that, people who sacrifice their lives for the country and when they lose their lives, like that of Ahmed Suale, the country only grieves but those behind the act are never brought to face the full riguors of the law.
Ahmed Suale is among the long list of citizens have been killed and although some cases are in court, it does not look like the state is interested in getting to the bottom of it. One typical example is the murder of the Abuakwa North Member of Parliament, J. B Danquah, whose life was cut short on February 9, 2016, when he was stabbed in the early hours of that morning.
Daniel Asiedu, alias Sexy Dondon, who was charged for the murder, has been in and out of court, with so many stories about who contracted him. Having realized that the state is not interested in convicting him, he has also been playing games with prosecutors.
If a whole sitting MP cannot get justice, who else can?
The inability of the police to bring the killers of Ahmed Suale and other such cases to justice brings to the fore not just the level of lack of interest in apprehending criminals, but also an emerging saddening scenario of the bastardisation of the sanctity of human life in the country.
Two years is a long time to get to the bottom of his murder, if only the police is interested in apprehending the killers. Without being accused of playing the public against the police, if Ahmed Hussein-Suale, was one of them, one month is even too long to apprehend his killers. We cannot live in a society, where the only time a section makes noise is when of their own is touched.
Murder of anybody must be a source of concern for all, as today it could be me or my relative, tomorrow, it will be someone else’s turn.
In the search for justice, no one is special, we are all subject to the same law and rules. Ahmed Suale, does not deserve to die the way he did, let alone his murder goes unresolved.
The way the state reacts to incidence like this, will make it hard for people to wants to put themselves up to sacrifice for the nation. The only crime Ahmed Hussein-Suale committed was to dedicate his life to expose crime in society. A society that is rotten and needs to be saved and that is exactly what he was doing.
A grateful nation, would have by now committed every resources available to ensure that, his assailants rot in jail, but alas! This is Ghana, where sacrifice means nothing, when you die, you die for nothing.
We all shed crocodile tears when the incident happened in 2019, politicians lined up to go and commiserate with the family and everyone who made it there, promised to ensure that, the perpetrators are brought o book, but no sooner was he buried and we all return to business as usual. We should all bow them our heads in shame, especially those who have the power to dig deeper and ensure that, his death will not be in vain.
It was Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany, who said, First they came for the Communists and I did not speak out, because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out, because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out, because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
The killing of Ahmed Suale, should not add to the nation’s long list of unresolved murder of citizens. The time to act is now and the police, as well as other security agencies, must rise to the challenge.
To the wives, children and the entire family of Ahmed Suale, I can’t even begin to imagine what you are going through, but I pray that, the Almighty Allah, will continue to strengthen you in the hope that, those who committed the heinous crime, will one day face justice.
May his soul and the souls of all dearly departed continue to rest in peace.
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