At the time of composing this commentary yesterday, Ghanaians were none the clearer about what really triggered the police to spray their targets with projectiles.
When seven lives are lost without convincing details from the law enforcement agents, the grapevine becomes awash with varied opinions. More so when the Police cancelled an eleventh hour press briefing. Even as we put together our stance on the issue, such a briefing has not yet taken place.
The Ashanti Regional Police Commander has not helped matters under the circumstances by seeking to justify the killing at a time when adrenaline levels are high.
It is not advisable at this time to attempt a justification. Not when he and his subordinates are yet to study the situation and prepare a convincing report about whether the killed persons were actually responsible for the death of their colleague earlier.
The angry families demanding an enquiry could be right or wrong in claiming that their lost ones were not armed robbers but as professionals, the law enforcement agents must be mindful about the repercussions of certain remarks under the circumstances lest they aggravate the situation.
We can only imagine the pressure being brought to bear upon the police management body at the Police Headquarters.
It is heartbreaking when after so much hard work such nightmares spoil the broth. We have heard many negative stories about what could have happened but at this stage we would rather all maintain cool heads since, after all, the unwanted has happened as a probe is instituted into the matter.
The need to probe the occurrence cannot be marginalized. The truth must be unearthed so that all would be satisfied otherwise the relationship between the law enforcement agency and their immediate publics could be strained to breaking point.
We have already picked up intelligence from sections of the Zongo community in the region about plans to react to the occurrence. It behooves the Police to move in to assuage the pain being experienced by the aggrieved. As for the regional commander, we do not think that he is capable of dealing with the situation now, especially since he appears to have taken sides in the matter already.
While armed robbers are dangerous nuisances in society, their escapades having snuffed life out of many breadwinners, the police too must be careful how they respond to emergencies. We do not dispute the fact that under emergencies such as when confronted with armed robbers armed to the teeth and often under the influence of alcohol and tramadol, being too careful can be life threatening. Be it as it may though, the rules of engagement should be better spelt out so that such occurrences are stemmed. We have experienced such fatal engagements one too many. We have neither apportioned blame nor intended to do so by our treatment of this painful subject since, after all, police officers too are human beings with families.
The bottom-line in this matter is that the Interior Ministry should empanel a committee of enquiry to unearth the truth. When it is clear that the police clearly shot and killed innocent persons, the appropriate action should be taken. If on the other hand the law enforcement agency have sufficient evidence to prove that they acted rightly let them provide same and without delay.