Private legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu has condemned the killing of three persons in Bawku by the Ghana Armed Forces.
He says the stories being told by the military do not add up, regarding the circumstances under which the three young men were killed.
According to a report by the military, the three persons, including others who escaped, shot firearms at them when they found them in town at 8pm, a time they were supposed to be inside due to the prevailing curfew restrictions in the town.
The soldiers say the men were also possessing firearms.
But according to the lawyer, it does not make sense that the men would be arrested for their assemblyman to go and plead on their behalf, flee from the police, arm themselves to fire at the soldiers, for the men in uniform to neutralise them as they claim.
Speaking on the KeyPoints Saturday, January 20, 2024, Mr. Kpebu said it was time the military stopped such abuse of power on citizens.
“Peoples lives and property are in danger and I’m especially pained that, this is true that the assemblyman came out to beg on behalf of the young men. So the point is that, the assemblyman had to go back to his house so at what point were these people holding guns?
“Because the first story we heard was that these guys shot back at the military and that’s why the military gunned them. People who were arrested, assemblyman came in to intercede for them, the military wouldn’t listen, the assemblyman had to leave, at what point did they go back to get guns and came back to face the military? This thing must stop,” he lamented.
He cited the recent Ashaiman incident where the military subjected innocent residents to inhumane treatments, to the extent of forcing them to drink poisoned water from gutters as some the things the military has been doing which is a total disregard to human rights.
“Not too long ago, the military did the same thing, went to Ashaiman, brutalised our citizens, arrested over 184, made citizens to drink water from the gutters, such brazen disregard for human rights,” he condemned.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces have denied killing the three civilians at Bawku as being spread around.
In a statement issued Saturday, January 20, the soldiers said the three young men were neutralised for possessing firearms which was a threat to the peace and security of the area, and also firing shots at them.
They say they have regretted the death of the three persons, cautioning the public not to engage them directly since it may have fatal consequences.
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