On March 7, 2023, 150 suspects who were apprehended linked with the Ashaiman killing during a raid were released by the Ghana Armed Forces.
In an interview with Citi News, the representative for Ashaiman, Ernest Nogbey, reaffirmed this.
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The MP claims that the remaining 34 people are still in military custody and being investigated for the weekend murder of a young soldier. Additionally, he attested to seeing the freed people.
“Out of the 184 [detained by the military], 150 have been released. As we speak, we have about 34 yet to be released by the military, and they state that they are just screening them”.
“So by the close of today [March 9] we will know whatever outcome may come from the screening. I just met with the 150 including their families and calmed the situation down and assured them that we are going to take charge of the situation and also provide some leadership for them so none of them should take the law into their hands,” the Ashaiman MP said.
The lawmaker added that he would continue to advocate for the release of all detained citizens.
Following the murder of a military officer, Trooper Sherriff Imoro, who was allegedly stabbed in the town on Saturday, March 4, 2023, the military brutalized civilians in Ashaiman on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, using helicopters and armored vehicles.
In a statement released on March 8th, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) defended the abuse, claiming that the goal of the raid was to find those responsible for the heinous crimes, not to exact revenge for the soldier’s death.
The GAF claimed that the swoop had been approved by its high command.
READ ALSO: Ghana Armed Forces Deletes ‘Ashaiman Statement’ After Heavy Backlash
The military exercise has been denounced by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
Joseph Whittal, the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, responded to the incident by telling Joy News’ Blessed Sogah that the exercise failed the test for an intelligence-led operation and that the military behaved improperly.
