A ranking member at the Defense and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has maintained that the military’s use of lethal force against the victim was unjustified and should be condemned.
According to him, while the civilians’ decision to wear military uniforms was unacceptable, the military’s best course of action would have been to apprehend them and hand them over to the police.
“The military should have exercised restraint. Yes, it is an offence for a civilian to wear military uniform; in such instances, arrest is made and when it is chanced upon by the military, you arrest the person and immediately hand them over to the police to apply various processes of prosecution and then the person faces the law”
Speaking to Joy News on Friday, April 25, Rev. Ntim Fordjour stated that by now, the military leadership should have issued a press statement acknowledging the incident and announcing an investigation into the circumstances surrounding it.
“By now, some press release or statement ought to be released for them to acknowledge that indeed this incident has come to their notice and that the necessary investigations have commenced to get to the bottom of it.”
He further appealed to the public that in their engagements with security officers, they should afford them “the needed cooperation and needed respect that is due them” to avoid any clashes in the future.
He commended the member of parliament for Atwima Mponua, Hon. Osei Akoto, and the Ashanti Regional Police Commander for the leadership role he played to ensure calm.
View this post: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AU3xbxYea/
On Thursday, April 24, a clash between some military personnel and civilians in Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District led to the death of one person and five others injured.
The incident occurred when the military came across civilians in military uniforms during a funeral of a young man in the town.
An eyewitness, reported to be Rev. Francis Nyamekye, explained that the shooting occurred when these individuals failed to take off their whole attire, as they couldn’t walk naked. This resulted in a heated clash, which led to the shooting.
Three of the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Nyinahin Government Hospital, while one has been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for specialized care.
