Joy News’ Latif Iddrisu was attacked by police officer when he was covering a protest 8 years ago.
The long-running High Court trial involving Multimedia journalist Latif Iddrisu and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Attorney-General has taken a significant turn after senior state lawyers informed the court that IGP Christian Tetteh Yohuno and the Attorney-General are committed to compensating the journalist in an effort to bring closure to the matter.
The case, stemming from an alleged brutal assault on Mr Iddrisu by police in March 2018 while covering a protest outside the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, has dragged on through the courts for more than eight years without resolution.
In proceedings before the Human Rights Division of the High Court on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, Senior State Attorney Nancynita Twumasi Asiamah told the trial judge that she had been instructed by the Attorney-General’s office to notify the court that the state had begun processes to compensate the journalist and settle the matter out of court.
She explained that the defence witness expected to appear for cross-examination had failed to do so because of progress made by the IGP’s office and the Attorney-General’s Department toward finalising a settlement.
She accordingly prayed the court to discontinue the trial.
The journalist’s lawyer, Sampson Lardie Anyenini, welcomed the renewed attempt at settlement but urged the court to allow the trial to continue alongside settlement negotiations to guard against setbacks if the parties fail to agree.
In response, trial judge Her Ladyship Eudora Christina Dadson granted a one-month adjournment for settlement terms to be presented to the court, adjourning the case to 2 April 2026. She ruled that “if the defence fails to present settlement terms before the court on the next adjourned date, the trial will continue.”
The development marks a departure from the stance of the previous IGP, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, who had reportedly rejected earlier settlement efforts by the former Attorney-General during the previous administration.
The journalist’s ordeal began more than eight years ago after he was allegedly assaulted by uniformed police officers while covering a protest. The Police administration has previously claimed that CCTV cameras at the CID did not capture the incident.
Throughout the protracted legal battle, Mr Iddrisu has maintained that the attack left him with a fractured skull and other long-term health effects, necessitating medical treatment, including in the United States.
The case has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates and media organisations for its length and delays, and it has become a high-profile example of impunity and slow judicial processes in cases involving attacks on journalists in Ghana.
The renewed settlement effort now places the case on a crucial pivot point as both sides work toward an agreed conclusion after nearly a decade of legal wrangling.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com