The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied carrying out a military operation in Ashaiman to avenge the killing of one of its soldiers, insisting it was to fish out the perpetrators who killed Trooper Sherrif.

According to GAF, personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Tuesday 7 March 2023, conducted a swoop in Ashaiman and its environs in a man-hunt for some criminals, who are suspected to have stabbed and killed the young soldier in the early hours of Saturday 4th March 2023, at Ashaiman-Taifa.

It revealed that Trooper Sherrif, who is stationed in Sunyani, was in Accra on a Course and 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 near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman.

GAF stated that during the course of the swoop, the personnel seized 29 slabs and 57 mini slabs of suspected Indian hemp and amnesia among other forms of narcotics.

“GAF wishes to state categorically that the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was not to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime. Following the operations at Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku, the military personnel picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old and have since handed them over to the Military Police and subsequently to be sent to the Ghana Police Service for screening and for further action.”
Ghana Armed Forces

The Ghana Armed Forces emphasized that the swoop was not targeted at innocent civilians but was an intelligence-led operation conducted on suspected hideouts of criminals and crime-prone areas in the general area. GAF however acknowledged that regrettably, some innocent persons might have been caught up in the operation and consequently suffered some distress due to the location they found themselves at the time.

“GAF accordingly wishes to urge the general public to provide useful information, support the security agencies in weeding out criminals and miscreants from our communities and to desist from shielding and conniving with such suspects in order to curb criminal activities.”
Ghana Armed Forces

Military incursion should not have happened

Meanwhile, security analyst, Dr Adam Bonaa, has revealed that while the military’s incursion in parts of Ashaiman, Tuesday dawn, was expected, it should not have happened. He noted that due to the fact that the incident had occurred “inland”, it would have been appropriate if the military had allowed the police to do their job rather than going on the operation themselves.

“It should not have taken place because this is inland, call it a mainland or inland security matter or issue that has to do with one officer who has been killed. And obviously, if anyone at all is cloaked with the power to investigate this, and go in there to attempt to do this, it should be done by the police. But unfortunately, that was not done and for me, that is where I worry.”
Dr Adam Bonaa

Following the raid, about 72 residents were whisked away by the military to an undisclosed location. Deputy Defence Minister, Kofi Amankwa-Manu, indicated that the soldiers were processing those who have been arrested to be handed over to the police.

Reacting to this, Dr Bonaa noted that the military due to the fact that it has no prosecutorial powers should have handed the 72 people to the police for further investigation as well as any evidence they might have obtained.

He explained that without any evidence to pin any of the 72 to the murder of the young soldier, their entire operation would have been a mere display of brute force against civilians without achieving their sanctioned goal.

“Secondly, we don’t even know where the 72 other people who have been arrested, we don’t know where they are. And so my belief is that I would want to say without mincing words that wherever they are, they should be handed over to the police for due process to begin because we all know that the military doesn’t possess prosecutorial powers.”
Dr Adam Bonaa