Brigadier General E Aggrey-Quashie
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have reacted to the public criticism of the alleged military brutality of residents at Ashiaman and its neighboring communities following the murder of a young soldier, Trooper Imoro Sherrif days ago by unknown assailants in the area.
According to GAF, the military operation was sanctioned by the Military High Command, to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime but not to avenge the killing of the soldier.
In a statement signed by Brigadier General, Director General Public Relations, E Aggrey-Quashie indicated that “the Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Tuesday 7 March 2023, conducted a swoop in Ashaiman and its environs in a man-hunt for some criminals, who are suspected to have stabbed and killed a young soldier (Trooper Imoro Sherrif) in the early hours of Saturday 4 March 2023, at Ashaiman-Taifa.
GAF wishes to state categorically that the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was NOT to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime” part of the statement read.
It also indicated that the military actions were an intelligence–led operation conducted on suspected hideouts of criminals and crime-prone areas in the general area but not targeted at civilians.
The statement also revealed that the military personnel have picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have since handed them over to the Military Police and subsequently send them to the Ghana Police Service for screening and further action.
The personnel seized 29 slabs and 57 mini slabs of suspected Indian hemp and amnesia among other forms of narcotics.
They also urged the public to provide useful information that will support the security agencies in weeding out criminals and miscreants from communities, admonishing them to desist from shielding and conniving with such suspects to curb criminal activities in the country.
“GAF however acknowledges that regrettably some innocent persons might have been caught up in the operation and consequently suffered some distress due to the location they found themselves at the time” it added.
MILITARY ACTION CONDEMNABLE
Many Ghanaians and security experts have condemned the military actions in response to the alleged killing of their colleague soldier at the Ashiaman which witnessed some residents being brutalized and rounded up by the military to an unknown location.
Commenting on the sad situation, Builsa North Member of Parliament, James Agalga equally condemned the military actions describing it as unfortunate and should not have happened.
The former Deputy Interior Minister said “We must all express our revulsion at the way and manner the soldiers stormed Ashaiman and meted out brutalities on the people of Ashaiman. Things shouldn’t happen that way, I am ashamed of what happened.
I feel ashamed about what happened, our military should not take the law into their hands. A soldier has been killed, we have an institution of state responsible for the investigation of crime, in this case, the Police service has the mandate to investigate the commission of a crime and possibly prosecute” he told TV3.
BACKGROUND
The invasion of the soldiers come after a 27-year-old soldier with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band in Sunyani in the Bono Region was reportedly stabbed to death by unknown attackers Saturday dawn.
Sources said he took the opportunity to visit a lady friend in the evening and on his way back to his mother’s place at about midnight was killed with his phone taken away.
Intelligence suggests his killing might have been premeditated.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke