Probe ‘disgusting’ military assault on police - OccupyGhana

Pressure group OccupyGhana has condemned the military for assaulting police in the Northern region after their colleague was arrested.

OccupyGhana said they wish to register “its extreme concern and disgust at the criminal assault reportedly inflicted upon police officers by elements of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF)” and “wish to issue a two-week ultimatum to the Government to get to the bottom of this matter and to announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap that punishes the wrong”.

The group bemoaned the misconduct by the security forces on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 where some personnel of the police and military were seen shooting sporadically and violently attacking each other in a free-for-all clash that resulted in eight injuries.

In a statement on Thursday 17 May 2018, OccupyGhana called “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”.

Meanwhile, Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, has urged the military and police in the area, to resolve all feuds immediately to ensure peace in the region.

The Chairman of the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) challenged the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service to smoke the peace pipe following the bloody clashes.

In a related development, Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has summoned the Defence and Interior ministers to appear before the House on Tuesday, 22 May 2018, to brief members about Wednesday’s clash .

Below is the full statement by OccupyGhana:

17th MAY 2018

OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT

OccupyGhana® Condemns And Demands Action On Reported Military Assault On Police Personnel In Tamale

OccupyGhana® wishes to register its extreme concern and disgust at the criminal assault reportedly inflicted upon police officers by elements of the Ghana Armed Forces in the Tamale Metropolis. The police officers, we understand, 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 whom 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.

We are also concerned that this impunity continues because in the face of a history that is replete with such attacks on society by military personnel, there has been precious little to no reports of the actual prosecution, conviction and sentencing of perpetrators. This has emboldened clearly renegade behaviour that must be addressed and curtailed forthwith.

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.

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.

We wish to issue a two-week ultimatum to the Government to get to the bottom of this matter and to announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap that punishes the wrong and does right by the victims. We also expect the institution of measures that would prevent this from happening in future and ensure that the Military never forgets that its true place under a democratic, constitutional dispensation is under civilian governance.

Yours, for God and Country,

OccupyGhana®