UPDATE! Police Detain 34 Residents of Ashaiman

By Riddy10 3 Min Read

The Ashaiman MP, Ernest Norgbey, has disclosed that 34 residents who were arrested by the military on Tuesday have been handed over to Tema Police Command.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, Mr Norgbey promised to follow up on the outcome of the screening and if there is a need for the residents to be bailed.

The development comes after families complained that 48 hours after their relatives’ arrest, they are yet to make contact with them. The MP assured that he is working tirelessly to ensure the release of the 34 residents.

On Tuesday, military personnel invaded Ashaiman following the killing of a young military officer. The soldiers brutalized several residents in the hope of finding the killers of the soldier.

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Footages shared on social media show armed military personnel brutalizing residents. However, the Ghana Armed Forces have said the operation was merely a swoop in a manhunt for some criminals and not for vengeance.

Police Detain 34 Residents of Ashaiman

According to GAF, “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.”

They added that their “swoop” had led to the arrest of about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old, and they have since handed them over to the military police who will subsequently send them over to the Ghana Police Service for screening and further action.

The admission of excesses has been made by the Military High Command. However, Mr Norgbey will not back down on petitioning the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice to investigate the incident.

This, he stated, is because he wants the officers who were on the ground to arrest the killers of the soldier, for which reason they acted ultra vires, to be sanctioned.

Meanwhile, the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament together with the Ministry of Defense and the Military High Command will pay a visit to the Ashaiman community on Thursday, March 16.

This visit will provide an opportunity to assess the situation on the ground and gather information to ensure that the rights of the residents are respected.

In conclusion, the incident in Ashaiman is a reminder that security agencies must work within the confines of the law and respect the rights of citizens.

The swift response from the MP, families, and human rights organizations is commendable. It is crucial that the government takes steps to ensure that security agencies are held accountable for their actions.

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