Radio Panelists Assaulted

Two people, identified as serial callers of the ruling National Democratic Congress are in police custody and charged with physical assault and threat. Their arrest followed a report that two members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communication team were assaulted on the premises of a Sunyani-based radio station, Space FM. Mr. Maxwell Mahama and Kwame Baffoe, both NPP communication team members, were allegedly manhandled immediately after participating in a political talk show, �The Big Question,� hosted by Ohene Kennedy and aired every Friday from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. Narrating the incident, the host of the programme, Ohene Kennedy, said the two sympathizers rushed to the premises of the Radio Station on a motor bike and pounced on the two NPP communicators without any provocation. According to the host, the two NDC attackers were identified as Ben Kluvi, an activist of the party in the Brong Ahafo Regional capital, and Yussif Maha, a nephew of the Brong-Ahafo Regional NDC Youth Organizer, Mr. Mahama Seidu. The two were seen on a motor bike entering the premises of Space FM and shouting and threatening mayhem, on top of their voices. Immediately they got off the motor bike, Ben Kluvi allegedly landed a heavy slap on the face of Maxwell Mahama. According to eye-witnesses, the slap appeared to have dazed the victim, who could not stand firmly on his feet, whilst Kennedy, in an attempt to intervene received a knock and had a cut on the forehead. Quickly, a call was made and the Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Asomah Cheremeh, rushed to the scene and sent the two to the Sunyani District Police to lodge an official complaint, where a medical form was issued for them to go for medical treatment. Asked what might have provoked the attack on their persons, Mr. Ohene Kennedy, the NPP communicator said during the programme, Mr. Baffoe alleged that the NDC serial callers were provided with recharge call cards to phone into radio programmes without even knowing what was being discussed, and that such callers did not even know the true state of the economy. According to Ohene Kennedy, the topic for discussion that night was on �The State of the Economy and the invitation of Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, the General Secretary of the NPP by the Supreme Court, among others. He said the NDC failed to appear on the show because their regional communication team members had resolved never to be on the same radio programme with Mr. Kwame Baffoe. When contacted, Ben Kluvi admitted rushing to the premises of the radio station with his colleague, because the NPP members were spewing falsehood to the public against leaders of the NDC and the party in general. Ben Kluvi described the host as a liar, who failed to narrate the true picture of what happened, saying the host allowed the NPP guys to propagate falsehood without verification and that they felt uncomfortable, and thus rushed to the station to put sense into the head of the communicators. When contacted Mr. Mahama said he did nothing wrong to warrant such an inhumane treatment. Both victims have been treated and discharged at the Regional Hospital in Sunyani. Both of them declined to give details about the incident. Yesterday, at about 11:27am, police personnel traced the two NDC activists and invited them to for further questioning, but they asked the police to go, as they will voluntary present themselves later. Chronicle tracked down Detective Sergeant Samuel Yerbu, Crime Officer at the Sunyani District Police Station, who said the NDC activists have been charged with physical assault and threatening. They have been released on bail, pending further investigations.