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Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul said his ministry identified the victims of military brutality in Wa, Upper West region, on Thursday, July 1.
Speaking to parliament, he said the military is ready to apologize to the victims, the people of Wa and ensure that the victims are taken care of.
Mr Nitiwul revealed that the ministry had already sent a team to Wa to investigate what led to the town’s military invasion.
“I don’t understand why this happened, so I want them to investigate and get to the bottom of it. If we sweep things under the rug, it can create a bigger problem for us. The army would apologize to the residents of Wa. We have also identified the people who have been injured and we will take care of them as well. “
“I want to plead with the Ghanaian people to be a little careful in our statements on issues like this. We are building a society, we are building a democracy, and the military is part of it, ”he said.
On Thursday, some soldiers were accused of brutalizing some residents of Wa in the Upper West region. The movement was allegedly triggered by the theft of a cell phone allegedly belonging to one of the soldiers.
The victims, who are mostly commercial tricycle drivers, motorists and pedestrians, were whipped and forced to ride on bare ground, some forced into nearby gutters.
Several of them are said to have suffered injuries to varying degrees. Two of them are currently admitted to Wa Municipal Hospital.
One of the victims, a 29-year-old vulcanizer, Gafur Mahama is suspected of having developed a fracture in his right thigh during the assault. The actions of the military recorded on camera have raised concerns on social media.
Reacting to the news, Wa Central MP Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo demanded an apology from the military for the brutality inflicted on some of his constituents.
Speaking to JoyNews, Pelpuo said he expects the military to also cover medical bills and compensate victims of “dehumanizing” activity in the city.
For him, the army has sown fear and panic among its voters and must take drastic measures to redeem itself.
Meanwhile, Parliament tasked its Defense and Home Committee with investigating the circumstances that led to the assault on the residents of Wa.
Some MPs on Friday, during the discussion, were dressed in red bands and demanded a parliamentary inquiry to ensure the culprits are brought to justice.
At the end of the discussion, the House decided to investigate the matter and gave the Committee four weeks to present its findings.
However, the defense minister says that while his outfit has already launched an investigation into the matter, he appreciates Parliament’s decision to conduct his own.
Mr. Nitiwul explained that the parliamentary investigation report can greatly contribute to the reforms of the army.
“I agree that if there is a way to ensure that the military is not the first point of appeal when there is a problem in terms of civilian control, I will be very excited. We should be able to help the police to do this effectively. “
“When the report and conclusions are ready, we will make it public and also make the measures public. Our goal is to make sure that never happens again, ”he added.
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