The enraged soldiers demonstrated their anger in the presence of the Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Obed Akwa, who had a tough job calming tempers.
“We are the last resort in this country. If we allow ourselves to be beaten this way… as a Christian, by what Jesus said in Matthew 26 verse 52: he who draws the sword must die by the sword,” one fuming soldier stated.
This soldier was supported by a Muslim counterpart with verses from the Quran to the cheers and applause of the soldiers present.
The soldiers also expressed impatience with the pace of the police investigation, which has, so far, seen seven suspects arrested for their alleged roles in the murder.
The soldiers were especially mindful of the videos of the gruesome act on social media, and wondered why military police could not take control.
Some of the soldiers also called for a total boycott and discontinuation of all anti-lumbering and anti-galamsey operations currently being run by the Army.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Akwa, told the soldiers that the family of the late Captain Mahama does not want the death of their beloved son to be associated with further violence.
He said the role of the Ghana Armed Forces is to support civil authority in dealing with insecurity and stressed that though what has happened is a major challenge, this challenge is not beyond the Military to overcome.
On the utterances of the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, the CDS said he was aware the government has taken notice of the utterances of the DCE.
According to him, when everything is settled, the modus operandi of the Military in supporting civil authority would be reviewed.
According to the CDS, a comprehensive report will be prepared on the incident and discussed at the level of the Armed Forces Central Command and this dastardly act will be pursued to its logical conclusion.
Endowment fund
Major General Akwa further indicated that this incident has touched all Ghanaians and what is to be done for the family goes beyond the remit of the Military.
He informed the officers that, “as at now, philanthropists have started asking about what they could do in support of the family of the late Mahama.
He, therefore, assured the public that the family of the late Captain Mahama will never be left alone.
He reminded everyone that the Vice-President, Dr Bawumia has assured the family of government’s care, noting that “a life lost in the battle is never lost in vain”.
According to the CDS, he considers late Captain Mahama his son because, he (CDS) was in the same unit with the father of the fallen army officer.
Prosecution of culprits
The CDS noted that when forces are deployed, the rules of engagement are made clear to them.
The CDS said part of the task of the team that went to Denkyira-Boasi after the lynching of Captain Mahama was to gather evidence to prosecute the case.