Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has said lawmakers are due to visit the Upper East regional capital of Wa in connection with a recent military brutality episode.
Agyapong, who is also Chairman of Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee gave the date of their visit as coming Monday (July 12).
He made the disclosure on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme on July 6, 2021. “Wa incident has been referred to us (his committee), so Monday we are going to Wa.”
Adding: “We were supposed to go on Thursday (July 8) but we have other meetings as well and we are yet to meet the Defence Minister for a briefing.
“So, I have information but I cannot share with you, because it might be one-sided, we have to listen to the other side before we issue a statement,” he stressed.
On the substantive issue, the military high command has taken action on the issue with punitive measures already handed down to officers involved in the incident.
Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul told parliament that three of the soldiers had been demoted, eight others tried and convicted to 30-day imprisonment by the Ghana Arnmed Forces disciplinary board.
Nitiwul said: “except the duty officer, all personnel who were on duty on the day of the incident have been charged, tried and appropriately punished”.
He gave further details of demotions stating that a Staff Sergeant has been reduced to Corporal rank, a Corporal to Private rank, and the Sentry on duty, a Lance Corporal was demoted to a Private.
About the duty officer in question, Nitiwul explained: “The trial of the duty officer, who is a Lieutenant, will, however, commence on or before Wednesday 14th July 2021.”
“All the above trials and punishments are without prejudice to the outcome of the subjects under various forms of investigation,” he added.
Other officers connected ‘indeirectly’ to the July 1 incident he disclosed will also be impacted: “the remaining soldiers who were also involved in the incident but not identified as brutalising officers will all be transferred out of the region immediately.”
