Ashaiman army raid: Military’s ‘savage’ conduct ‘flagrantly unprofessionally’ – CDD-Ghana

The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has condemned the roughing up of some residents of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region following the murder of a young soldier.

Soldiers stormed the area and randomly arrested and manhandled the locals.

They rounded up 180 of them and kept them in custody for a few days.

In a statement, CDD-Ghana described the action of the military as “flagrantly unprofessional and savage”.

It demanded punitive actions from the president, who is the commander-in-chief.

“The executive branch must also be advised that failing to condemn and sanction the military officers implicated in this barbaric episode is a slippery slope toward a generalised state of lawlessness and anarchy”.

“The government’s tacit endorsement of this incident only goes to embolden military officers to take matters into their own hands whenever they deem it necessary to do so”, the statement read in parts.

“CDD-Ghana is highly appalled by the conduct of the military officers at Ashaiman”, the civil society group said, adding: “We are further deeply dismayed by the revelation that this flagrantly unprofessional and barbaric conduct by military personnel was sanctioned by the military hierarchy and received justification and approval not only from the Military High Command, but also from a Deputy Minister of Defence, Kwaku Amankwa Manu, who as a member of the civilian government must exercise oversight and control over the conduct and operations of the armed forces”.

The late trooper, Imoro Sheriff's alleged killers were later arrested by the police.

They have been charged with robbery and dishonestly receiving booty contrary to the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (ACT 29).

The police, through its intelligence, independently arrested the suspects days after the army’s power showoff.

The police said in a statement that it arrested the six suspects between the 9th and 12th of March 2023.

The suspects include Samuel Tetteh, alias Wiper and Abubakar Siddick, alias Birdman.

The two, according to the police, attacked the trooper on 4 March 2023 and stole his iPhone.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

Wiper and Birdman, according to the police, attacked the trooper at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region “for the purposes of stealing" his mobile phone and "stabbed" him "with intent to overcome the resistance of Imoro Sherrif to steal his mobile phone.”

The four other accused suspects: Ibrahim Abdul Rakib, Safianu Musah, Mohammed Yussif and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim, were charged with dishonestly receiving contrary to section 146 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (ACT 29).

The prosecution said Ibrahim Abdul Rakib, a scrap dealer, “on the 4th and 5th day of March 2023 at Ashaiman Taifa, bought an iPhone at the cost of GH¢300 from Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Saddick knowing the phone was the one retrieved from the crime scene”.

Safianu Musah, a trader, later bought an iPhone from Ibrahim Abdul Rakib knowing the phone was received by means of crime at the cost of GH¢35O.

Mohammed Yussif and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim, both drivers, are alleged to have, on March 5, assisted Safianu Musah in the disposal of an iPhone otherwise than with the purpose to restore it to the owner knowing the phone was obtained by means of crime.

The six suspects pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned on Monday and have been remanded into prison custody.

The case has been adjourned to March 27, 2023.