Two arrested for assaulting Journalist

The Damongo Police on Thursday 26th March 2020 arrested two young men, a Butcher called Majeed Yussif and a pantry boy at the Damongo Senior High School called Malik Zonzuwura for assaulting the Damongo Reporter of Bole based Nkilgi FM Zion Abdul- Rauf.

The statement of the two young men who were initially evasive with the Police and resorting to using Elders and Politicians to plead has been taken and were granted bail pending further action by the Police.

Nkilgi Fm’s reporter Zion Abdul- Rauf was accused by the young men of filing a story on a cow stealing case to the Radio station. Even though Zion Abdul- Rauf did not file any story he was accosted by the two young men last Friday 20th March 2020 and given slaps and blows on his face with his motor pushed down when he tried to move away. One of the young men vowed to kill Zion Abdul- Rauf if he does not stop reports on cow stealing cases.

Many are aware the said story which the Damongo Police confirmed is accurate was posted by the General Manager of Nkilgi FM Mahama Haruna on two WhatsApp groups called ‘Savannah Development Foundation’ and ‘Nkilgi FM News’ on Thursday 19th March, 2020. The story posted reads;

“Two butchers are currently in the custody of the Damongo Divisional Command for allegedly attempting to steal a cow. The two allegedly tied the cow in the Damongo cemetery and went in to convey the animal with a motoring machine only to be busted by the owners of the animal. The motoring and the motorbike of the suspects are with the police whilst the two suspects are kept in the cells”.

Many people have expressed their indignation over the assault on a very popular journalist at Damongo and are calling for justice for Zion Abdul- Rauf.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of Nkilgi FM Mahama Haruna has rejected several offers for the case to be settled without Police and Court involvement.

He said he has already informed his lawyer and that he will make sure his Reporter Zion Abdul- Rauf sue the two in court.

Mr Mahama said; “My Reporter Zion was assaulted for nothing. He did not file any story to Nkilgi FM and did not file a story anywhere. He never accused the two young men who assaulted him of stealing a cow. I am the one who posted the story to two WhatsApp groups and did not say the two stole a cow”.

He added; “The law must take its course to serve as a deterrent to those in our part of the world who feel journalist must be beaten for doing their work. I will never compromise and has stopped listening to those pleading”.