Accra, August 22, 2017//- The Alliance for Women in the Media (AWMA), a media advocacy group has condemned the violence meted to Ms Portia Asantewa Duah on Friday, 18 August, 2017 at Kona Bar and Grill, Osu, Accra.
Ms Duah was allegedly slapped twice in her face by a bouncer named BB at the above-mentioned spot. The incident was reported to the spot manager who failed to offer any meaningful help to the victim (Ms Duah).
However the manager’s response was that she, and the group who accompanied her, should simply let the incident go, according to Ms Duah.
She was with a group of friends at this restaurant and was asked to leave by a bouncer, named BB, who alleged they had not bought drinks and were simply occupying space. One of Ms Duah’s friends explained this was not the case. They had bought drinks; the waitress had simply cleared their table.
This bouncer did not accept this explanation. Ms Duah approached a waitress and asked for a receipt as evidence of drinks purchased. She began to speak with her friends explaining the incident was embarrassing.
The bouncer told Ms Duah to keep quiet; he was not speaking with her. He then slapped her across her face, twice. Ms Duah sustained swollen and red eyes from the slap.
Her shocked friends approached the manager to relay what had happened. The Manager’s response was that they should let the incident go, according to eyewitnesses.
In press statement issued by the Convener of Alliance for Women in the Media, Mrs Shamima Muslim Alhassan has demanded an apology from the restaurant and sanctions against the manager for the “unacceptable response”.
Excerpts of the press statement
AFTERMATH
On Saturday 19th August, Madame Portia spent an entire day – from 9am to 11pm – dealing with this traumatic incident. She went to two different hospitals as the first did not have an eye clinic, then to the police station and then had to deal with the police’s bureaucracy. She has since spent GHC300 on seeking medical attention and getting a medical report for the police.
ACTION
The Alliance for Women in the Media:-
1. supports the victim
2. condemns the alleged violence of the bouncer named BB.
3. requires this be treated as a matter of criminal assault.
4. requires bouncer face trial and sanction
5. requires The Manager must be sanctioned for their unacceptable response
6. requires Kona to issue a public apology
7. requires Kona to issue policy for dealing with violence in their workplace
SIGNED
Shamima Muslim Alhassan
Convener, AWMA
African Eye Report