Six zongo youth to be laid to rest on Thursday

The remains of six, out of the seven Asawase Zongo youth gunned down by the police are set to be laid to rest on Spetember 6, 2018.

In a statement issued by the Zongo Committee for the Seven, an in-house committee was set by the Ashanti region Zongo leadership to represent their interest on the matter.

The committee, under the auspices of Chief Zongo, the Acting Sarkin Zongo Alhaji Rufai Alao III, and the entire Ashanti Regional Zongo Chiefs, have decided during a meeting held on September, 1 2018 to lay to rest remains of the six bodies.

The four Muslims among the six, Musah Seidu, known as Baban Kande, Mohammed Bashir Musah, known as Soja, Mohammed Kamal, known as Tanko, and Baa Bont, also known as Freeboy will be buried on Thursday, 6 September 2018.

"The two Catholic Christian Brothers by the name Razack Sule, known as Frenchman, and Oliver Konlan, known as Raster will also be buried on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at the Tafo Cemetery after Christian prayers", stated in the statement.

Abdul-Mannan, 33, one out of the seven Asawase youth gunned down by the police, was laid to rest.

The final burial service for all the Seven gunned down by the police will be held at the Kumasi Central Mosque on September 9, 2018 at 11 o'clock am.

Please read the full statement below.

STATEMENT READ AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON TUESDAY, 4 September 2018 AT KUMASI CENTRAL MOSQUE ON THE BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR BROTHERS (THE ZONGO 7)

Ladies and gentlemen of the press.

We greet you with the Islamic salutation of peace by saying Assalamu Alaikum Warahamatullahi Wabarikatuhu. We are here today to give a briefing on the arrangements of the burial service for both our Muslims and Christians brothers who were reported killed by the police at Manso Nkwanta- a news that had caused an exasperation to members of the Zongo community. This led to establishing an independent committee of inquiry by the state to investing the killing and unravel the difficulties surrounding the shooting of the Zongo seven (7).

It is important to state that, under the auspices of Chief Zongo, the Acting Sarkin Zongo Alhaji Rufai Alao III, and the entire Ashanti Regional Zongo Chiefs, wish to state the following decisions arrived at, during the meeting held 1st September 2018 and resolved as follows: that the remaining six bodies will be buried with the following scheduled program.

The four muslims by name, Musah Seidu, a.k.a Baban Kande, Mohammed Bashir Musah, a.k.a Soja, Mohammed Kamal, a.k.a Tanko, and Baa Bont, a.k.a Freeboy will be buried on Thursday, 6 September 2018.

The last prayer ‘janaiza’ will be held simultaneously at 10:00 am, Kumasi Central Mosque.

There will be a brief ‘Adua’ at the Central Mosque after the burial.

The two Catholic Christians Brothers,namely; Razack Sule, known as Frenchman, and Oliver Konlan, known as Raster will also be buried on Saturday, 8 September 2018 at the Tafo Cemetery after Christians prayers.

The final ‘Adua’ for all the deceased will be held at the Kumasi Central Mosque on Sunday the 9th of September 2018 at 11:00 am.

We further wish to state in unequivocal terms that, whiles the committee of inquiry is working on its mandate for investigating the incidents of the killing and probing to establish the issues.

We are of the firm belief that our brothers are not armed robbers as sections of the media were awash with the initial news break on the incidents by the police. We, therefore, wish to plead passionately with the media to be circumspect with the reportage until the final report is out. May their souls rest in peace.