Ejura killings: Vladimir Antwi Danso, Appeal’s Court judge, part of 3 – member committee to investigate disturbances

• Posted on July 1, 2021July 1, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Interior Ministry has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the shooting of two persons at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

This follows a directive by President Akufo-Addo, calling for a public inquiry to be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the Ejura killing incident on Tuesday, which also left four persons severely injured.

The committee members include George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal as Chairman, Security Expert, Dr Vladimir Antwi Danso and Juliet Amoah, Executive Director of Penplusbyte, a civil society organisation.

Marie Louis Simmons, a principal state attorney will be the secretary of the committee.

This comes after two persons died and four others got injured during a protest by the youth of Ejura Sekyedumase, which was disrupted by security operatives on Tuesday morning.

Things turned turbulent as a joint Police and Military team accosted the agitated youth on the streets while demanding justice for late social activist Ibrahim Mohammed.

The two who died, Muntala Mohammed and Abdul Nasir Yusif, were allegedly shot by security officers as they demonstrated against the murder of Ibrahim Mohammed popularly known as Kaaka.

The committee is expected to investigate and recommend sanctions for persons found culpable by 9 July 2021.

Minister of Interior Ambrose Derry made this public when he led security officers, including CID Boss Ken Yeboah and Ashanti Region Security Council, on a fact-finding mission to Ejura on Thursday.

The Minister further says all fundamental human rights will be respected, especially the right to demonstrate, insisting police must be notified when embarking on such missions.

“The right to demonstrate is respected by the government. The only thing we expect is people who want to demonstrate will give notice; they are not asking for permission but notice because the government has a duty to protect all demonstrators so that no harm comes to them,” he said at the Ejura Palace, where he met the traditional leadership.

“We are going to encourage that the right to demonstrate be exercised and the protection of police be provided”.

Mr. Dery wants the people to support the police and the committee who he believes will help prevent such occurrences in the future.

Meanwhile, the traditional authority told the media they are pleased with government’s response on the incident.

Chief Barima Osei Hwedie II expects the government to find solutions to election violence and all forms of violent activities that are regularly witnessed in the area.

He said efforts have commenced to establish a police division in the area with the traditional authority providing land and some materials to start the project.

Barima Osei Hwedie is also calling for a military base to help deal with any disturbances in the future.

-Myjoyonline