General News of Saturday, 31 March 2018
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2018-03-31
Koku Anyidoho [in black] with NDC bigwigs walking to the CID headquarters, Tuesday
Embattled Deputy General Secretary has said his arrest and detention by the police and the Bureau of National Investigations have given him deeper understanding and insights of the workings of the state institutions.
Koku Anyidoho said his respect for the police and the BNI has soared as a result of the arrest.
“What I saw, heard and went through, we have a professional police…”
“I respect the police much more; I was not tortured, I was not manhandled; they had a job to do and they did it,” the NDC Deputy General told Newsfile host Samson Lardy Anyenini, Saturday.
Anyidoho had spent 48 hours in the custody of the BNI after he was arrested for making comments government described as unsavoury and treasonable.
He was picked up in dramatic fashion Tuesday afternoon when he and other members of the First Ghana Patriotic movement were holding a press conference to outline plans for the anti-US military deal demonstration on Wednesday.
He had, the day before granted an interview to an Accra based radio station in which he suggested president Nana Akufo-Addo will be overthrown, just like his father was.
“On January 13, 1972, a certain Col. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong led a movement that removed the Progress Party from power. Busia was the Prime Minister and Akufo-Addo’s father was a ceremonial president. Somebody should tell Nana Akufo-Addo that history has a very interesting way of repeating itself. There’ll be a civil revolt,” Mr Anyidoho said in an interview.
After being picked up, supporters of the NDC besieged the offices of the CID, took over the streets of the Police HQ, demanding his release.
He was driven to the BNI where he spent 48 hours as required by law and was released with a caution statement of causing fear and alarm as well as treason felony.
He is expected to return to the Police CID on Tuesday.
Speaking on Newsfile, the tough-talking Deputy General Secretary appeared sobered by the events of the last few days.
“I have gotten a deeper understanding of how the police operate,” he said, adding, “I respect the laws of Ghana.”
When he was asked if he regretted the comments he made for which he was arrested, Koku Anyidoho declined comment except to say the matter was still under investigation.
He would rather the host spoke to his lawyers whom he said were handling the case.