Barbara (middle), wife of the late Capt. Maxwlel Mahama flanked by some family members
Government has given assurance of its commitment to find the killers of Captain Maxwell Adams Mahama, the army officer who was killed under very heinous circumstances at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region.
This was when Vice President Bawumia visited the bereaved family at the Burma Camp barracks in Accra on Wednesday.
Almost moved to tears, he said, “It is really with a heavy heart that we come here today; we woke up yesterday and heard of some very very sad news that had happened. I could not really believe it; I did not really think we have such evil amongst us, such wickedness amongst us a people.”
Initial reports had it that the young and promising army Captain met his untimely death when he went for jogging and was mistaken for an armed robber by residents of the town upon seeing a pistol on him.
An assemblyman for the area who was said to be on the run, was believed to be the one who organized some young men in the area to manhandle Captain Mahama, in spite of pleadings that he was not an armed robber.
Promise
Dr Bawumia observed, “What happened is dastardly, it’s painful, it’s wicked, it’s evil and I don’t know how anybody in anyway can justify anything like that,” insisting, “It’s a criminal act…; there is nothing short of it. It is criminal and we will pursue the perpetrators with all the might of the state to its logical conclusion to make sure that justice is done.
“The president has asked me to extend his condolences and you will see him in due course.”
Sad as the family and the entire nation were, the vice president said, “We cannot question God sometimes. As a Muslim, we always say….from Him we came and to Him we will return. So we ask for prayers right now for Captain Mahama; that is really all that he needs now.
“For the family, we want to assure you as I said, we are going to be with you through thick and thin going forward; we will see that he gets a befitting burial and do whatever is necessary for the family [and] the children who are left behind,” he assured.
Pain
“It is so painful that…I asked that God temper that hurt and give you the patience to deal with this; what is now most important is the family, wife and children…it’s a tragedy not just for the family. Honestly, in Ghana today everybody is talking about it. This is our funeral; so you are not alone and you will not be alone,” he said to consol the bereaved family.
Dr Bawumia said government had taken account of the concerns raised by the bereaved family about the manner in which people are spreading videos and pictures of the fallen soldier on social media as well as comments by the beleaguered District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper Denkyira West, Daniel Appianing, who literally sought to justify the mob action.
“May God be with you; may God keep you and may God keep the soul of Captain Mahama in peace,” he prayed for the family.
Concerns
On his part, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Major General Obed Akwa, denied rumours that the late Captain Mahama and his troops were in the village giving protection for people doing illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Instead, he emphasized, “Captain Mahama was on a sanctioned official duty; the high command knew about it and our ministry was aware; so I will like to disabuse the minds of the general populace that they were there undertaking or protecting illegal miners.”
He said the military high command had received report on events that happened on the day and studying it to take a decision whiles thanking officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces for the restraint they had exercised in the face of this act of provocation.
The CDS has since asked officers and men who have been deployed to the area to live peaceably with their civilian counterparts and allow the law to take its course.
Appreciation
Head of the bereaved family, Chief Kasseh, thanked the nation for the support in these trying times.
“I expect that there should be no further bloodshed; we don’t want it. We just need peace; I’m sure whoever did it has regretted having done that,” he noted.
Disappointment
He however, expressed grave concern and disappointment in the comments of the DCE for the area where the incident happened, saying, “The statement of the DCE did not augur well for us as a family; we are peace-loving people. We have trained this boy to be very peaceful wherever he is.”
As a man who has worked in the area of peace and a former Chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tamale, he said, “For my own grandchild I have brought up this way to be killed cold blooded…”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent