<<Print>>Ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas has disclosed that his greatest fear in life is seeing persons his investigative pieces are targeted at walking free on the streets as though nothing is amiss.
He described such persons as more dangerous species who are capable of doing anything once they are able to in the end walk free.
According to him, persons touting themselves as apostles of professionalism are allowed to critique his style of journalism because they are entitled to their opinions but said they would have done same if they found themselves in the environment he finds himself.
“The ones who critique and critique, they are entitled to their opinion. If they lived with me in my environment they will understand why I have do what I do because look, there is nothing as painful as doing a story and the people you target eventually get that strength and walk on the streets. It is a bigger danger to you than anything else”, he disclosed.
He revealed that it is for this reason all his stories are aimed at putting persons engaged in criminal acts behind bars to serve as a deterrent to others and also ensure his own safety.
“If I do a story about you, my aim is not for you to sit in your bedroom and read the story but it should put you behind bars. That is journalism”, he disclosed.
Anas said the developed countries have the laxity and institutions in dealing with criminal activities which is why he has taken the initiative to partner with the police to get what he described as the ‘bad guys’ in society out of the system because such structures are nonexistent in his part of the world..
Reiterating his resolve of naming, shaming and jailing, he cited the cases of the cocoa smuggling, quark doctors, corrupt judges, the rapist Nana Akwasi Agyemang and Cocaine story among many others.
On claims he was a spirit, he said:”I am not a spirit. I am here in person and flesh. I need to be honest and brutally frank with you, if there is any hope, that hope for the North that hope must come from us by making the right decisions and taking appropriate steps”, he told patrons of the second national Media Festival organized by the Press Foundation, TPF.