Journalist shot dead in Ghana

Unknown assailants shot and killed a Ghanaian journalist, Samuel Kwabena Ennin, at a popular spot in the country's second capital Kumasi on Friday. Mr Ennin, the chairman of the Ashanti region of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), also served as an editor of 'Ashh FM' in Kumasi.

According to sources, gunmen on board a numberless white saloon car, stormed the area and quickly shot Mr Ennin on the stomach. They had earlier fired indiscriminately to cause fear among customers at the spot. Two others at the scene sustained injuries,- AF reported.

After carrying out their mission, the assailants took the cellular phones of the victims, entered the vehicle and drove away, leaving Mr Ennin at the brink of dying. Mr Ennin was rushed to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he finally died from the injuries sustained.

Before his death, he hosted a popular political magazine programme, "Point of order", on 'Ashh FM' aired on Saturday mornings.

His killing has hit journalists in Ghana - where press freedom is being guaranteed and respected - like a thunderbolt. They wondered what might have prompted the awful killing of Samuel Ennin. Equally, residents of Kumasi described the act as "alarming, mischievous and barbaric."

The killing has set the police on their toes that intensified their investigations.

Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) officials also received the death with shock and disbelief and offered to reward 10 million cedis (US$ 1,100) to anyone who helps to locate or identify the murderers.

In memory of their dead colleague, GJA appealed to all media houses to fly red flags at half mast for four days starting on Tuesday.

"The MFWA condemns this heinous and brutal act in the strongest terms," declared the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana-based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Kwame Kari Kari in a statement. "We demand a high level inquiry into the incident so that the real motive of the killers can be unearthed."

The killing was also condemned by the Director of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Africa office, Gabriel Baglo.

"We condemn this killing and we call on the authorities of Ghana to conduct a swift and serious investigation into this murder to bring his killers to justice. This cowardly murder increases our worry as attacks on journalists have been in the rise in last year in Ghana," he said while expressing condolences to Mr Ennin's family.

KC