An opinion leader at Asawase, Alhaji Abdul Galio has said that they are more pleased with the president’s statement that he is going to see to it that, “justice will be done apart from the GHC 250,000 compensation package”.
He added that their compensation comes from the president’s assurance of ensuring justice to be done with regards to the killing of the seven innocent men who were killed by the police men. He said though with regards to their lives, the money could be a peanut.
He said the president has showed a leadership quality and that he is a man of his word.
In an interview with Ibrahim Kwarteng on GBC’s current affairs programme, ‘BEHIND THE NEWS’, Alhaji Galio stated that, “we are looking at the president based on what he has told us with good faith, we strongly believe that justice will be done”.
He reiterated that, ultimately, what they expect from the government is justice to be served
He said that the action taken by government shows that it is responsible and regards that the deceased have left families who must be catered for.
He said that when justice is served, it will also deter the security officers and prevent the issue from reoccurring from involving in the act.
He stated that the people of Asawase also want the regional police commander to be removed because he organised the police to assemble ammunitions to make a case against the deceased. He said the regional commander should have resigned honourably.
He said that till now, the full details of the report have not been made known to them but they are still looking on to the issue. He called on the youth of Asawase to support the government with the good steps it has taken to maintain peace and order in the Asawase community and the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly.
He also cautioned the people of the communities not to fight with the police.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah explained that the GH¢ 250,000 compensation package was to cushion the families in place of the roles of the deceased to their families but not to replace their lives.
He confirmed that the policemen who were involved in the tragic killing have been interdicted and those who are found guilty after the investigations will be made to face the law.
He said that the police have been cautioned that we cannot do without them, however, have asked them to exercise restraint and professionalism in relation to similar issues. He added that he is hopeful that the police will take up the advice in good faith.
He said the issue is sensitive and should be handled with care. He said he presume that it is due to this issue that the police officers deployed to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) was not controlled because the police were reluctant to act.
BACKGROUND
The killing of seven young men on July 7, 2018 triggered outrage in Manso Nkwanta in Kumasi. The police initially claimed that they were suspected armed robbers.
A seven-member committee was eventually set up after days of angry protests over the killing.
Some Twenty-one (21) police officers were later interdicted for a formal criminal investigation, upon the recommendation of the government for their alleged role in the killing of seven Zongo youth at Manso Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region on July 17, 2018.
The initial findings of the committee were made public by in a statement issued by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah today, Monday, November 19, 2018.
President Akufo-Addo has paid an amount of GH¢ 250, 000 each to the family of the deceased and pledged his unflinching support to ensure that justice will be served.
Story By: Nhyira Kwabi
