Amnesty International Ghana has expressed the need for an independent probe to be carried out into military brutality which occurred in Ashaiman over the murder of a soldier.

According to the human rights organization, despite the killing of one of its members, the military has no right to carry out such inhumane activity on civilians. It revealed that the Ghana Armed Forces regulations, Armed Forces Act, 1962 Act 105, places obligations on military officers as defenders of the nations.

Amnesty International Ghana explained that this Act equally obliges the military not to interfere with rights of others more than to the extent unavoidable to pursue the legitimate aim they are following.

“Amnesty International Ghana is calling for an independent investigation, as matter of urgency, to ensure that the military personnel involved in carrying out human rights abuses against the people of Ashaiman are held accountable and that adequate compensation be given to these victims.”
Amnesty International Ghana

Amnesty International Ghana indicated that per a video recording making rounds on social media and other news outlets of alleged military brutality in Ashaiman following the alleged stabbing and killing of a young soldier Imoro Sherrif, on Saturday, March 4, 2023, suggests that a mandate was issued by the Military High Command to deploy military personnel into Ashaiman to search for the culprits of the crime.

The move, Amnesty International stated, unfortunately led to innocent civilians facing brutality from the military personnel.

“A series of human rights abuses involving but not limited to flogging, restricting free movement of residents and breaking into people’s homes were meted out on persons of Ashaiman Constituency. To this effect, innocent people have been hurt both physically and psychologically due to this inhumane incident.”
Amnesty International Ghana

The human rights, Amnesty stated, in no way reflects the mandate of the military which clearly states that: “the Armed Forces shall be equipped and maintained to perform their role of defence of Ghana as well as such other functions for the development of Ghana as the President may determine”– 1992 Constitution of Ghana in Article 210 clause (3).

Amnesty condemns all forms of violence

Amnesty International Ghana emphasized that it is against all forms of violence and human rights abuses and condemns the violence meted out by the Military on civilians. It highlighted that the Military is to take a step back and allow the Ghana Police Service to conduct thorough investigations into the unfortunate killing of the soldier.

“We would like to respectfully remind the President of Ghana who is the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Minister of Interior, the leadership of the Ghana Armed Forces and other authorities involved in law enforcement in Ghana, that under their international human rights obligations, they must promptly, independently, thoroughly, and effectively investigate this unfortunate incident.”
Amnesty International Ghana

Furthermore, the organization iterated the statement made by the MP of Ashaiman, which expressed the need for the people of Ashaiman and all parties involved to exercise restraint and remain calm, while they seek justice.

Amnesty International revealed that it is a non-political, not-for-profit human rights organization working for the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other human rights standards. It, explained that it is a global movement of over 10 million people in more than 160 countries.

Meanwhile, the slain soldier at Ashaiman, 21-year-old Trooper Sheriff Imoro has been laid to rest. He was laid to rest at the Military cemetery in Accra on March 9, 2023.