The Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV is wondering whether one mobile phone is more worth than the lives of people that were allegedly brutalized by rampaging soldiers in Wa on Thursday.
He suggested that ‘‘if soldiers could come to town to brutalize and humiliate innocent people because of a stolen mobile phone Ghana is a disaster in waiting.”
“The fact that a soldier got his mobile phone allegedly stolen from him does not constitute sufficient grounds for a military operation in the supposed area several hours after the incident had occurred.”
Some soldiers were seen in a viral video brutalising in the Upper West Regional capital over the theft of a mobile phone supposedly belonging to one of the military officers.
The Overlord described the development as unimaginable.
Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV made the statement in a speech read on his behalf by his spokesperson, Jinpenhi Naa Kadiri Ibrahim when the Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Thomas Oppong Peprah called on him at his palace.
The visit of the Chief of Army Staff is to meet with traditional leaders, religious and opinion leaders in the Wa municipality to apologize for the brutality by some soldiers from the 10 Mechanized Battalion barracks.
He said, ‘‘Wa which is a veritable beacon of peace in the country was thrown into a state of panic as rampaging men in uniform pounced on unarmed and unsuspecting civilians and pummeled some to a pulp. The act was dastardly as it was unacceptable. Anyone within the operational zone of the men we pay to protect us could have fallen victim to their senseless and bestial brutalities.”
Public Relations Officer of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, Cletus Awuni was also a victim.
Upper West Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mustapha Ahmed was also not spared during the assault.
Naa Pelpuo IV further stated that one of his Paramount Chiefs, Guli Naa Seidu Braimah had his house been raided by the rampaging soldiers in search for more victims
He said even though members of his family escaped unhurt, they are nonetheless traumatized.
‘‘He came to me this morning telling me as a result of the act his family could not cook Supper’’.
The Waala over demanded that the soldiers who committed the act should be severely punished and the medical bills of the injured taken care of by the Military High Command. He also wants those brutalized to be compensated.
Chief of Army Staff, Major General Thomas Oppong Peprah assured the Wa-Naa that the soldiers who committed the callous act will be severely dealt with.
“We cannot allow a misguided few to spoil the golden relationship that we have with the people of the Upper West region. We are going to fish out all those who were involved in this and exact the maximum punishment according to our code of service discipline.”
