Police/Military Shooting Of Demonstrators At Ejura Is Criminal— Catholic Bishops

The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) has condemned the killing of three demonstrators and injury of four others by Police and Military officers as condemnable criminality.

In a statement released Wednesday, the GCBC also demanded that swift investigation be conducted into the incident and the perpetrators brought to justice.

“This act is not only condemnable but criminal and must be investigated and the perpetrators duly punished. This must be done with the urgency it deserves because citizens are gradually losing trust in the ability of our security agencies to handle such cases effectively and competently,’ the statement said.

It comes as an agitated atmosphere hangs over Ejura from where the District Chief Executive has fled with his family in fear of their lives.

On Tuesday, heavily armed Police and Military officers had shot into a crowd of demonstrators who were protesting the murder of a social activist linked to the #FixTheCountry Movement.

Ibrahim Mohammed, alias Macho Kaaka had been set upon and bludgeoned to death by unknown assailants after receiving threats over his role in the Movement.

The Ejura Police says it has since arrested two suspects however, because the #FixTheCountry Movement had been battling the government over its refusal to grant it permit to demonstrate, many suspect Macho Kaaka’s murder was state-orchestrated.

It was in protest of the murder that heavily armed Police and Military personal sprayed bullets into the crowd of demonstrators killing three and injuring four.

“We have expressed time and again the need for our security agencies to be very professionals in the discharge of their duties, especially when it comes to crowd control.

  Unfortunately, the situation is rather getting out of hands and this did not auger well for our country,” the clerics charged.

 “How can one justify the action of the military man seen in the viral video aiming and shooting at unprotected and unarmed civilians in an attempt to stop the demonstration?” 

Meanwhile, the Bishops have asked for calm and restraint as the Police and the Military are waited upon to probe the shootings.