Management of the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper have sacked one of their journalists, Daniel Kenu.
In a letter dated November 17, 2014 and signed by Justice Michael Sarpong, Acting Director, Human Resource and Admin, the management said the journalist breached Section 22 (a) of the organisation’s collective bargaining agreement which Kenu signed as an employee.
The letter among other things said “management has noted, after considering the reports of the Investigative Committee including its findings and recommendations, that you acted disloyally by unilaterally withdrawing the case from the court more especially when the incident occurred in the course of your official duty and management had written to you and assured you of its support and had specifically instructed you to consult it on any move you wanted to take regarding the case.”
“Management also engaged the services of a legal officer to assist you in the prosecution of the case,” the letter added.
Kenu’s dismissal is as a result of an assault case he withdrew from court without consulting management of the newspaper. The journalist was assaulted by Baffour Gyan – a former footballer and brother of Ghana’s national football team captain, Asamoah Gyan – and one Samuel Anim who is said to be the business manager of Asamoah Gyan on September 5.
The assault received a lot of condemnation from the MFWA, media associations and the media, including management of the Daily Graphic who vowed to get justice for the journalist. The case was subsequently filed and taken to court on September 8.
But on September 19, Kenu issued a press statement stating his withdrawal of the case citing health and personal reasons. Many however believed he had secretly received some form of settlement from Asamoah Gyan.
