Shooting of civilians at Aflao

..by Togolese military personnel

I (Mr Albert Kwasi Zigah MP, Ketu South.) am grateful for the opportunity to raise this issue here, although this is something I would have preferred not to. I have taken the opportunity to discuss these issues because I have run into a brick wall when I tried to obtain answers from the District Police HQ in Aflao; Ministry of Defence in Burma Camp; the Interior and Foreign Ministries.

I think the case is complicated by the international nature of the incident and as I reside abroad, do not have the facts except those stated via media sources. I do not have the time to go into every single detail, so I will try to highlight the main points.

In April 2005, Linda Donu ( aged 10); Mabel Ahedor (aged 13) and King Kosmos (aged 28) sustained gunshot wounds as a result of illegal actions by Togolese military personnel. The said illegal action was that of firing at Ghanaian civilians who were in Ghana.

It is on record that you made a statement to the House on 26 April 2005 regarding the incident. I have followed the case but no follow on from you in the media.

This is the crux of the matter. Time and time again, the Togolese military have tried to hide behind a veil of pretended observance of the rule of law, yet they shoot indiscriminately along the frontier (not only in Aflao). We have before us a classic case of people in positions of responsiblity accepting the position but not the responsibility that comes with it.

I think the treatment metted on those shot (at Aflao, my homeland) by the Togolese troops has been an utter disgrace. One year is enough and I hope that the time has finally arrived for the Ghana Government to stop hiding behind procedures and loopholes and to do what is right. I am not entirely convinced that they are even capable of doing so in this case. I hope they will not make the mistake of believing that this email is the end of my involvement in this case. So long as I hail from Aflao and the Government continue to run from their responsibilities - a characteristic that one would not normally want in those charged with upholding the law - I will continue to press the case for adequate redress for the victims in this sorry state of affairs.

Mr Albert Kwasi Zigah MP, could you please let me know what the current situation is vis redress for the victims. Also if there is any record of an apology from the Togolese authorities to the Ghana Government regarding the incident.

I hope your response reaches me by the end of this month, May, 2006.

You will notice that I have copied this email to Ghanaweb; hopefully someone might have the information should your efforts fail.

Regards kindly

Ransford

Ransford Cudjoe FITI

Criminal Justice System Analysis (CJSA)

Research Development and Statistics (RDS)

Science and Research Group (SRG)

Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR)

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