Murder of soldier at Ashaiman: Four key facts about arrest of suspects

The Ghana Police Service in a statement posted on social media, late Friday, March 10, 2023; confirmed the arrest of the main suspects involved in the murder of a young military trooper, Imoro Sherrif.

It is the first time the Police are speaking to the issue which started on March 4, when the death of Sherrif went viral on social media platforms especially on Twitter.

On March 7, the military invaded a part of the Ashaiman township where Sherrif was reportedly attacked and killed by assailants in what the Ghana Armed Forces called a ‘swoop.’

Their action was widely condemned for being illegal to the extent that it was for the police to hunt for civilian criminals and to prosecute same.

That they engaged in excesses by way of brutalizing some residents of Ashaiman Taifa did not help matters. The military said its operation was sanctioned adding that it had taken notice of some excesses in the swoop.

Below are four things we know from the arrest

1. According to the police, the arrest was after an sustained intelligence-led operation.

2. The said operation lasted a week

3. The arrests were made on March 9th and 10th

4. The suspects were picked within Ashaiman and its environs

Meanwhile, journalist Kofi Adoma has reported that the military are still chasing after the iPhone of the deceased, Sherrif Imoro, as part of its efforts to unravel his death.

FULL STATEMENT: POLICE ARREST KEY SUSPECTS IN THE MURDER OF IMORO SHERRIF, A SOLDIER

The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March, 2023.

Full details of the arrests made by the Police on Thursday, 9th March and at dawn today, 10th March 2023, within Ashaiman and its environs follow…

The March 7 military swoop

Dozens of military officers stormed Ashaiman in the operation that saw some soldiers entering the town in trucks, with an armoured car plus a helicopter hovering over the town.

The exercise is said to be in response to the gruesome murder of a young soldier, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, by some unidentified persons on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Videos of the invasion shared across social media show various forms of assault being meted on residents by the rampaging officers who subjected some of the residents to severe beatings.

In a statement released in the early hours of March 8, the Ghana Armed Forces admitted authorizing the swoop which led to the arrest of 184 persons, as well as the seizure of suspected illegal drugs.

In the said statement, they also acknowledged excesses may have resulted in the swoop but failed to apologize for or commit to conduct a probe on same.

An initial 150 suspects were released on March 8 whiles Fix The Country movement convener Oliver Barker-Vormawor reported on March 9 that the remaining 34 have also been freed without charge.