A former NDC official and his accomplice were found guilty and given sentences by the Tamale District Court for breaking into a radio station in Tamale and attacking a presenter who was hosting a live show.
Iddrisu Hardi alias Pagaaza and his accomplice, Mumuni Osman, were put before the court on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, assault, unlawful entry and threat of death according to the Ghana Police Service.
They pleaded guilty to all the charges and were sentenced accordingly on Wednesday, 10th May 2023.
“The two accused persons pleaded guilty to all four counts of charges and were convicted on their own plea, and subsequently sentenced to a fine of Three Thousand, Six Hundred Ghana Cedis (GH₵3, 600.00) or in default serve a custodial sentence of 18 months,” the Police said in a statement on its Facebook page.
The convicts paid their penalties to the Court and the police, in the statement stated that their faces have been uncovered because they are no longer suspects but convicts.
Recall, a former Deputy Communication Officer for the NDC and Mumuni Osman were seen in a viral video in which they forcibly entered the Dagbon Radio premises and attacked presenter, Sadiq Abubakari Gariba.
Prior to the condemned attack on the journo, there had been a panel discussion about the Ghana National Fire Service in the region.
With the microphone on and the presenter’s headphones on his head, the two intruders immediately ambushed Gariba who was still trying to understand what was going on, and then grabbed him by the neck amid baying and issuance of threats.
“What have I done to you?” Hardi Pagazaa is heard asking the presenter after storming the studios of the radio station.
Then his accomplice, Osman screamed: “Stop mentioning his name if you don’t want to die.”
Sadiq Abubakari Gariba managed to stand up to the two attackers and dragged them out of the studio before the altercation escalated outside amid threats before he eventually returned to the studio.
As to what fueled the attack, the radio presenter told Joy News: “Before I started the show, I played a tape in which he mentioned me on a sister station. So, I said, ‘No, this guy is not worth commenting on. I will not comment on him because he does not seem to be credible, and I do not want to discuss such people on my show.
He reported the matter to the police, and the Ministry of Information and the Ghana Journalists Association subsequently urged the police to bring the attackers to book swiftly.
