Why Ghanaian undercover journalist was killed

Ahmed Hussein-Suale

The murdered journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale

The murdered journalist, Ahmed Hussein-Suale

The killing of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, an undercover journalist in Ghana on Wednesday night has been widely regarded as having connection with a case of corruption in Ghana football which he investigated and the documentary aired on BBC Africa Eye. He was a member of Tiger Eye Private Investigations.

It was reported that after broadcast of the documentary, Ghanaian MP Kennedy Agyapong circulated photos of Mr Hussein-Suale and called for retribution against him.

Local media reported that some unidentified men on motorbikes shot Ahmed Hussein-Suale three times in the capital Accra.

The undercover report on cash gifts led to a lifetime ban for the former head of Ghana’s Football Association.

BBC Africa Eye made a documentary about the scandal last year after gaining access to the investigation led by journalist Anas Aremayaw Anas, who runs Tiger Eye.

In turn, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists called on Mr Agyapong last summer to stop threatening journalists.

In a press release, Tiger Eye said they were “terribly devastated by the dastardly act”, but were “unshaken” in their pursuit of “nation-wreckers”.

His body has reportedly been taken to the Police Hospital Morgue and will be buried soon.

BBC reports that the investigative journalist co-operated with the it on several stories, including an investigation into human body parts sold for ritual magic in Malawi.

However, incident of violence on journalists is said to be very rare in Ghana. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, only one other journalist has been killed in Ghana since 1992.

The International Federation of Journalists says eight journalists were killed across all of Africa in 2017.

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