Arrest ‘Violent’ Soldiers – OccupyGhana
PRESSURE GROUP OccupyGhana has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the military men who allegedly assaulted some police officers in the Tamale metropolis of the Northern Region last Wednesday.
According to the group, there has been little to no reports of the actual prosecution, conviction and sentencing of military officers who allegedly attacked civilians in the past; and this has emboldened them to continue the “dastardly crime.”
The group said, “We call upon the Government of Ghana, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of National Security and the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately cause the arrest of all the perpetrators of this dastardly crime against the police officers and surrender them for prosecution before our civil courts to the fullest extent permissible by the laws of Ghana.
“This will send a clear signal to others with the same violent propensities that wearing a uniform and bearing arms provided with our tax monies is not an excuse to misbehave and visit violence on the rest of us,” a statement by the group maintained.
OccupyGhana’s call for prosecution follows an attack on some police officers by some members of the Ghana Armed Forces in the Northern Region after the law enforcers had attempted to arrest a soldier who allegedly walked out of a police station to escape being arraigned before court.
The attack happened after Eric AC2 Eric Danso of the Air Force Unit of the Armed Forces had reported to the police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday as part of his bail conditions.
According to reports, the soldier left the police station unnoticed after he had been informed that he would be arraigned before court for allegedly assaulting his driver.
Two police officers then pursued him to re-arrest him but they were attacked by some military officers, injuring the police officers in the process.
Moments later, armed military men in uniform reportedly stormed the police station and opened fire, forcing the police to shoot back.
Seven police officers who were injured as a result have since been treated and discharged at the Northern Regional Police Hospital, while two military offers are also said to have sustained injuries.
OccupyGhana has condemned the attack on the police officers who “were simply going about their legitimate policing duties only to be pounced upon and beaten up by soldiers.
“This apparently all-out assault on police officers, some of who were at post guarding national assets such as the Bank of Ghana and other financial institutions in Tamale, leaves a terrible impression of the Armed Forces.
“We are appalled that any security institution would misuse and abuse the powers bestowed by the Constitution and facilities provided by our taxes in such a depraved manner.”
According to OccupyGhana, “Any attempt to subject this act to some ‘internal’ disciplinary procedure to which we would not be privy would be unacceptable and signify official complicity of what is frankly grave criminality.”
It also gave a two-week ultimatum to get to the bottom of the matter and announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap that punishes perpetrators of crime.
Source: Daily Guide
