Ghana’s army has deployed a high-powered delegation to a small town in the Central Region of the country where one of its officers was brutalised and burnt to death by some locals who reportedly mistook him for an armed robber.
Captain M.A Mahama of the 5th Infantry of the Ghana Armed Forces was jogging at Denkyira-Obuasi at about 8:30am on May 29 when he was lynched, the Military Command confirmed in a statement issued Tuesday.
The officer was the detachment commander of our troops on operational duties in the general area.
The fact-finding team which is led by the Chief of the Army Staff, is expected in the town Tuesday “to ascertain the facts of the case”, the statement said.
Ahead of their arrival, 3News has gathered 35 armed military personnel and two officers have already been deployed there to mount a manhunt for the who lynched the Capt. Mahama
“In the meantime, or troops have been urged to remain calm whilst action is being taken to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to book,” the statement cautioned military personnel, particularly those in the area.
“GAF is working closely with the police and other security agencies to unravel the full facts of the case,” it added.
Mistaken identity
3News sources say Captain Mahama had a gun on him while jogging along the main road in the town where he stopped to ask for further directions from some women.
READ: Army officer lynched & burnt as armed robber
An alarm was raised by the residents, who had witnessed an armed robbery incident the night before and thus were on alert for the perpetrators.
Upon receiving information that the soldier, who was dressed in civilian clothes, was carrying a gun, the residents led by the assemblyman, one William Baah, organised some youth in the town to beat him to death and burn his mortal remains.
Police later found his body with multiple deep cut wounds on the head and other parts of the body partially burnt.
By 3news.com|Ghana