Mahama pleads with military to refrain from extra-judicial justice on residents of Ashaiman

Former President John Mahama has appealed to the Military to refrain from what he describes as extra-judicial justice on the residents of Taifa-Ashaiman in Accra.

The former President’s comments come on the back of the military brutalizing residents of Taifa-Ashaiman as they hit innocent civilians with sticks and other weapons over the killing of a young soldier.

However, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has stated categorically that the military operation in Ashaiman on Tuesday, March 7 in which some innocent residents were brutalized was not to avenge the killing of a young soldier, Trooper Imoro Sheriff.

The soldier, who was stationed at Sunyani but was on a course in Accra had sought permission to visit his parents at Ashaiman where he grew up but was found in a pool of blood in the early hours of Saturday March 4, 2023 near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman.

According to the GAF, the Military operation in Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku was to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime and in the process, the Military picked up about 184suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have handed them over to the Military Police and subsequently to be sent to the Ghana Police Service for screening and for further action.

Commenting on the development, the President said he is deeply saddened by the death of the soldier, at such a young age, in Ashaiman.

“Lordina and I extend our deepest condolences to his bereaved and grieving family, and the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces. As your former Commander in Chief, I do appreciate how such unexpected deaths affect the Force.

“However, I encourage you to exercise restraint and allow due process to investigate, apprehend, prosecute and punish the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act. There are obviously many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime. The military must, therefore, refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them,” the former President appealed.

He continued: “I also sympathise with the victims of of the torture in Ashaiman as a result of this unfolding death of a serving soldier.

“I pray we find peace and harmony in our dear country, as the government and state institutions immediately step in to address this potentially inflammatory development between Ashaiman and the Ghana Armed Forces; including providing commensurate compensation for all persons affected.”