Ejura shootings: 7 revelations so far at the committee sittings
On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, the committee set up to look into the shootings that led to the death of some young men in Ejura commenced its work.
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Persons of interest in the case took turns to give their testaments as well as provide answer to the questions from the panel.
The persons who appeared before the panel made several revelations, some of which became quite topical in the media space.
Source: UGC
YEN.com.gh outlines some seven revelation so far from the sittings that got people really talking
1. Journalist seeing 7 soldiers shooting
A journalist with the Multimedia group, Erasmus Asare Donkor, who shot the viral video during the protest in Ejura has shared his testament of what he saw on the day.
According to him, he saw seven soldiers shooting into the crowd. He revealed that the military initially started shooting into the cloud but later started shooting at the crowd.
2. Using live ammunitions were necessary
Answering a question if the use of live ammunitions during the protest was necessary, the General Officer Commanding for the Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces Brigadier General Joseph Aphour, responded in the affirmative.
According to him, the situation would have escalated if that was not done.
3. We shot to maim protesters not kill them
Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Peprah said his troops shot to maim and disperse the angry crowd and not to kill them.
According to him, if they went there purposely to kill them, more people would have died.
4. We shot because they shot first
Brigadier General Joseph Aphour revealed that his men were compelled to fire at protesters because they shot at the military personnel first.
He said his men initially verbally warned the protesters when they arrived at the scene, but they did not pay heed but started firing at them.
5. I did not call for military assistance
The Ejura District Police Commander, DSP Hammond stated that when his men were overwhelmed by the crowd that they had gone to supervise, he called for reinforcement.
According to him, he did not ask for military assistance as him calling for reinforcement did not mean the military should intervene.
6. Protesters threatened to burn down hospital and kill me
Speaking during the committee sitting today, July 8, 2021, the medical director at Ejura Hospital, Dr Manye Mensah said he was threatened by the angry youth to release the body of their deceased friend who was shot.
According to him, they threatened to kill him and harm his staff if he refused to comply with them.
7. Officer seen kneeling on one knee did not shoot
Answering questions during the committee sitting, the Battalion Commander of the military, Lt. Col. Ware Peprah said the soldier who was spotted kneeling down did not shoot at the crowd.
Explaining further, he stated that there is a procedure to disperse a rioting crowd; the first which happens to be verbal warning, second is to cork the gun, third is to fire warning shots in the air and if the situation still persists the officer will kneel to aim at target to scare them off.
Background
The committee was formed by Interior Minister Ambrose Dery under the directive of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo following the gruesome murder of Macho Kakaa in Ejura.
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 of Kakaa.
This led to the death of two persons with four sustaining various degrees of injury.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
