The Member of Parliament for Bunkprugu in the Northern Region, Solomon Boa is claiming that the army officer who shot and killed the 36-year-old man during curfew hours is not in Police custody as it had early on been announced.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3bz6c53F6YQpbffHD9ECQf3BR2ichAWL”]He is also claiming that the Police have not begun any investigation into the matter.
“My sources in Bunkprugu have revealed that the army officer is roaming on the streets in his uniform, wining and dining with his army and friends while the deceased’s family are languishing and struggling to earn a living far away,” he alleged.
“I can also tell you on authority that the Police has not started any investigation,” Boa added.
The accused, Private Daniel Appiah is alleged to have shot…in his room last Friday for supposedly breaching curfew.
The family of the deceased have denied Private Appiah’s claims and are demanding for justice.
The Bunkprugu/Yunyoo District Police Commander, ASP Felix Kumado in an earlier interview with Citi News confirmed that the accused had been arrested by the Military Police and his outfit was conducting investigations into the matter.
But in an interview on Eyewitness News, an angry Bunkprugu MP insisted that none of these claims are true.
“As I talk to you now, he is not in any Police custody at Bunkprugu, he is not in Police custody in Tamale and he is anywhere in this country as far as being in custody is concerned,” he argued.
According to him, residents in the area are shocked at the turn of events and have questioned the commitment of the security agencies to ensuring justice is served.
He remarked that “just because this poor family are not from a big families that we know of in this country, they have been left to their fate and they do not know where to get their next meal…that is what I find very unfortunate in this country and I am just wondering why justice is for some people and not others.”
Media must help
Mr. Boa charged the media and other civil rights groups to take particular interest in the matter to help bring the accused to book.
He mentioned that the media are the gatekeepers as far as the survival of citizens is concerned.
Boa said: “You people must follow this matter, I want to call on all human rights groups to have interest in this matter because what happened in Bunkprugu is so unprecedented that people are at a loss as to how a soldier who was asked to go there to protect lives and property could descend into the gutters to take somebody’s life and people are telling me it’s normal.”
Stop promising and act
Solomon Boa said the Deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga does not have the right to say that if the accused is found culpable he will not be shielded when the security services have not begun the investigation process let alone arrest the army officer.
He also asked the government to stop making promising relating to the matter but rather show the residents that they are committed to protecting the rights of every Ghanaian.
“I hope it’s not a political statement but if they are serious, let us see an action,” he added.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan