Soldiers Accost Joy News Reporter, Beat Up Civilian Being interviewed at McDan Demolition Site
- A Joy News journalist covering the demolition of properties at Spintex linked to McDan was accosted by soldiers
- The soldiers also beat up a man whom the journalist, Carlos Carlony, was interviewing at the demolition site
- Joy News has also said Carlony has been taken into custody by operatives from the National Security
Soldiers accosted a Joy News reporter covering the demolition of property linked to businessman Daniel McKorley at Spintex in Accra and beat up a civilian who was being interviewed.
The reporter in question has been identified as Carlos Carlony.
Source: Getty Images
Joy News noted that Carlony had been taken into custody by operatives from the National Security, and his mobile phone confiscated.
It is still unknown what triggered the confrontation.
The demolition is believed to be linked to a legal dispute over the ownership of the land between McDan Group and the Airport Company of Ghana.
The government condemned the incident and described the actions of the soldiers involved as "utterly unacceptable".
The government also reafirmed its commitment to press freedom and journalist safety.
The Minister for Defence and the National Security Coordinator have also been directed to investigate the incident.
What did the Joy News reporter say?
After his release Carlony said military operatives physically assaulted him and forced McKorley, the CEO of McDan Group, and three others to kneel at gunpoint during a demolition exercise in Accra.
“In fact, I was punched. By then, the CEO of McDan Group and his three others were asked to kneel. So they were kneeling at gunpoint."
“We tried to capture that moment, we could not, so we left it. But they thought that we had captured the moment when McDan, the CEO, was kneeling with his three others. But then this eyewitness was also somewhere being beaten by other military people.”
Carlony said the military operatives accused the group of interfering in a lawful demolition.
The soldiers did not produce any documents to back the demolition.
After his release, he was driven back to the scene.
“They gave me a pickup with three military personnel back to the scene. They drove me back to pick my vehicle."
GACL shuts down McDan Aviation Private Jet Terminal
In December 2024, YEN.com.gh reported that the Ghana Airports Company Limited shut down McDan’s Aviation Private Jet Terminal due to an outstanding debt of over $3 million.
The debt expected to have been cleared by Christmas Day includes land leases, rentals, and terminal charges accumulated over a period.
That was the second time McDan Aviation had been shut down by the Ghana Airports Company Limited over unpaid arrears.
The Ghana Airports Company Limited, in February 2022, stopped McDan Aviation from operating its private jet services at Terminal I of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) due to operational breaches.
Source: YEN.com.gh
