A Former Police Officer and currently the Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has stated that the killings at Ejura and the subsequent probe into the matter would soon become a cold case.
He said it was wrong for the police to have retreated from the scene and later come and pick up the pieces which is something that will not hold fire.
“As we speak the people who were short and killed investigations is still proceeding and I can tell you for a fact that because the police withdrew completely and allowed the military to take charge, it will be difficult for us to account for what happened and the investigations I can tell you professionally that it will soon become a cold case, mark it on the wall,” he told host of the Sunrise Morning show on 3FM, Alfred Ocansey on Thursday July 8.
There is currently an ongoing probe into the brutalities at Ejura with some officers of the Military and police command having appeared before the Justice George Kinsley Koomson committee of enquiry.
On Tuesday, the General Officer commanding the Central Command, Brigadier General Jospeh Aphour told the committee the intention of the military officers was to fire to maim and not to kill.
“When we got to the general area of the cemetery, and the protesters started issuing warning threats to the police and military teams, we started giving verbal warnings which we do in military but they didn’t listen…I think the commander at that stage then had to use minimum force by ordering the personnel to begin firing at those who were firing from the crowd to maim them”.
Peter Toobu said there is nothing wrong shooting to maim as is contained in the commander’s testimony but in the process the person can die but in the circumstance the people who died were rather not armed.
“two people are dead, go find out which of them was armed and go find out who was armed in the demonstrators and as I heard what the military said they know what it is when they hear a gunfire and they know the type of gun so who carried such a gun? professionally the person should be eliminated”.
“When the military takes over to restore law and order and the police fall back to provide support for the vulnerable and injured. It is the duty of the police to rush the wounded to the hospital. The civil responsibility of the police do not end because the military has taken over”. He stressed.
