Ejura Committee Recommend Punishment For Murderous Soldiers, MCE

-Shields Loud-Mouthed Regional Minister

The controversial set up to investigate the murder of two persons in Ejura in the Ashanti Region by soldiers deployed to quell a protest has recommended the dismissal of Mohammed Salisu Bamba, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ejura-Sekyedumase Assembly for his complicity.

The Committee also recommended the transfer of the District Police Commander for Ejura-Sekyedumase, DSP Philip Hammond, as well as punitive sanctions against the military officer who led the soldiers to the Ejura protest.

Live amateur camera captured at least two soldiers open fire on the crowd of angry residents of Ejura protesting the gruesome murder of a social activist from the town, Mohammed “Kaaka” Ibrahim.

Kaaka was murdered in cold blood by a mob believed to be associated with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for his activism. Kaaka who is also an NPP member himself had been disgruntled by the government’s lack of investment in social infrastructure and had mounted a campaign on social media to showcase the deplorable social conditions in Ejura and surrounding areas.

His activism apparently angered the MCE Salisu Bamba, who reportedly sent a mob of party footsoldiers to him to stop his advocacy because it was making the Akufo Addo administration “unpopular”.

Kaaka refused to be cowed by the threats and continued. Not long after, a mob attacked him and pummelled him to death. This sparked anger in the town.

On Kaaka’s funeral, townsfolks launched a spontaneous protest, but the MCE reportedly ordered the deployment of soldiers and anti-riot police to the protest. The soldiers captured in the video started shooting into the crowd as soon as they disembarked from their military vehicles. 

One of the soldiers was seen kneeling and taking aim at the protestors. When the dust settled, two young men had been shot dead, with several others seriously injured.

The committee appointed to probe the incident is made up of Justice George Kingsley Koomson as the Chairman; a security analyst, Dr. Vladimir Antwi-Danso, and the Executive Director of Penplusbytes, Juliet Adiema Amoah.

They presented their findings to the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.

Curiously, no sanction was recommended for the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah who had admitted to the committee that he was one of the top officials in the Ashanti Region who recommended the deployment of the murderous soldiers.