The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Africa Office is of the view that every probe conduct on the disturbances at Ejura in the Ashanti Region must be made public.
Although President Nana Akufo-Addo has tasked the Interior Ministry to conduct a public enquiry into the disturbances at Ejura, a team is yet to be constituted to begin the exercise.
CHRI in a statement said officers who will be found guilty or culpable should be sanctioned.
According to CHRI, this will restore public confidence in the police.
CHRI also called for the re-training of the police officers in the rules of engagement in crowd control.
In the statement condemning the gruesome killing of three persons at Ejura [a social activist and two protestors], the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Africa Office also cautioned the government to stop sending the military to disperse crowds during such incidents.
“Government should make the report of the investigations into the Ejura killings public to engender confidence in the work of the police and the security officers found culpable must be sanctioned.”
“The Government must cease bringing the military into internal security issues, which is the preserve of the police, who are supposed to have the training and orientation to deal with such matters.”
What happened in Ejura?
Ibrahim Muhammed, died on Monday, June 28, 2021, after he was attacked by a mob when he was returning home on his motorbike on Sunday at Ejura in the Sekyedumase District of the Ashanti Region.
He’s alleged to have been killed because of his social activism, which some felt was making the government unpopular.
The 45-year-old was noted to be vocal on both local and national issues using his Facebook page.
His family said he had faced threats over his activism prior to the attack.
Following his burial, some residents of Ejura began a street protest but were confronted by armed police and military personnel, leading to the death of two persons who were said to have been shot by some soldiers. The Police claim the protestors had become rowdy and were pelting s the security personnel with stones.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has is investigating the incident.
