‘I’m deeply saddened’ – John Mahama reacts to killing of young soldier at Ashaiman

Former president John Dramani Mahama has expressed sadness over the killing of a 21-year-old soldier at Ashaiman, a suburb of Accra.

Mahama said in a statement released on March 8, a day after the March 7 military swoop that led to the arrest of 184 persons, that he was deeply saddened by the development.

“Lordina and I extend our deepest condolences to his bereaved and grieving family, and the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces.

“As your former Commander in Chief, I do appreciate how such unexpected deaths affect the Force,” he stressed before asking the military to restrain themselves and allow for mandated state agencies to bring the killers of Trooper Sherrif Imoro to book.

He also sympathized with the victims of military brutality as evidenced in videos and photos that went viral during the swoop which the military high command confirmed was authorized.

In a March 8 statement, GAF said the swoop was to apprehend killers of Imoro and not to avenge his death. They also acknowledged excesses may have resulted in the swoop but failed to apologize for or commit to conduct a probe on same.

Read Mahama’s full statement below:

I am deeply saddened by the death of one of our soldiers, at such a young age, in Ashaiman.

Lordina and I extend our deepest condolences to his bereaved and grieving family, and the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces.

As your former Commander in Chief, I do appreciate how such unexpected deaths affect the Force.

However, I encourage you to exercise restraint and allow due process to investigate, apprehend, prosecute and punish the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act.

There are obviously many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime. The military must, therefore, refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them.

I also sympathise with the victims of the torture in Ashaiman as a result of this unfolding death of a serving soldier.

I pray we find peace and harmony in our dear country, as the government and state institutions immediately step in to address this potentially inflammatory development between Ashaiman and the Ghana Armed Forces; including providing commensurate compensation for all persons affected.