Stop comparing; ‘Kalyppo soldier’ didn’t offend military rules – Maj. Oduro

Deputy Defense Minister Major Derrick Oduro has dismissed accusations of bias against the military following sanctions meted out to the soldier who openly criticised plans by parliament to construct a new chamber.

Some Ghanaians have criticised the military for refusing to punish the soldier who took a picture while sipping on Kalyppo in the build-up to the 2016 elections but has gone ahead to punish another for commenting on a matter also in the public domain.

Ahead of the polls, Private Osei Owusu was captured in uniform sucking on Kalyppo, a craze that had gone viral on social media at the time.

Then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo was captured in a post sipping on Kalyppo, a fruit drink enjoyed mostly by young persons. The post was put side by side with a picture of US President Barack Obama sipping from a little jug and that of President John Mahama sipping a pineapple juice.

Commenting on the development, Major Oduro said the circumstances are viewed differently from the point of view of the military.

“What you may see as an offense as a civilian, may not be an offense in the military, the soldier in Kalyppo issue did not commit any offense. Every issue is investigated in the military, the fact that some big man drank something or ate something does not mean a soldier cannot also go to the market and buy same food or drink. That matter was investigated and the soldiers found nothing wrong with it,” he told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr.

Director of Communications of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col Aggrey Quarshie , at the the tie would not comment on the outcome of the investigations into the matter except to say that the investigations are over and Private Osei Owusu was going about his official duties.

According to him, the young soldier breached sections of the military regulations but was never detained.