The Ghana Catholic Bishop Conference (GCBC) has condemned the brutalities meted out to unarmed citizens who were demonstrating in Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
The Bishops said in a statement on Wednesday, June 30 that this act is not only condemnable but criminal and must be investigated and the perpetrators duly punished.
The statement follows the gruesome murder of Macho Kakaa in Ejura over the weekend.
There was also a violent clash among the military officers and the youth of the area who were demonstrating in that town on Tuesday, June 29 following the murder.
This led to the death of two persons with four sustaining various degrees of injury.
“We have expressed time and again the need for our security agencies to be very professionals in the discharge of their duties, especially when it comes to crowd control.
“Unfortunately, the situation is rather getting out of hands and this done not auger well for our country.
“How can one justify the action of the military man seen in the viral video aiming and shooting at unprotected and unarmed civilians in an attempt to stop the demonstration?
“This act is not only condemnable but criminal and must be investigated and the perpetrators duly punished,” the statement said.
It added “This must be done with the urgency it deserves because citizens are gradually losing trust in the ability of our security agencies to handle such cases effectively and competently.
“While awaiting action over the death of the three and those injured, we appealed to all agitated youths across the country, particularly those of Ejura to restrain themselves from engaging in acts that can result in social unrest.
“Those who wish to exercise their fundamental human rights to demonstrate should do so within the limit of the laws of the country.”
Meanwhile, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has relayed government’s sentiments about events that have ensued in Ejura in the Ashanti Region involving the suspected murder of a social activist Mohammed Kaaka and the subsequent deaths of 2 others.
He described the situation as unfortunate and condemnable.
The Ofoase Ayirebi lawmaker described the action as a crime and urged the security establishment to conduct swift investigations into the murder
He also called for a thorough investigation into the crowd control protocol employed at the scene of the riot in Ejura on June 29 to ascertain a clear sequence of the events of the day that lead to 2 deaths and several injuries.
He has advised politicians to desist from profiteering from the tragedy.
“Our security agencies should be quick and clinical in getting to the bottom of the of this and other unresolved crimes.
“While we understand that Police investigations sometimes take a while it doesn’t not instill confidence in the population if such acts go unresolved and unpunished quickly. So the Police need to get to the bottom of this and justice must be done.”