Ghana’s Police investigators will this morning begin building a solid case against five residents of Denkyira-Obuasi who were arrested for allegedly lynching a military officer and setting a part of his body ablaze.
At least 50 residents were on Tuesday rounded up by a team of armed military and police personnel deployed to the small Central Regional town to fish for the murderers of Army Captain, Maxwell Adam Mahama.
READ: Five arrested over the murder of Capt. Mahama
The suspects were screened on site through interrogation and the five were found to have questions to answer, consequent to which they were arrested for further investigations Wednesday morning.
Capt. Mahama, a member 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.
His gruesome murder in broad daylight has received strong condemnation by Ghanaians, including President Akufo-Addo and former presidents John Rawlings and John Mahama as well as civil society groups.
READ: Capt. Mahama’s murderers won’t go free – Akufo-Addo asserts
The act has also reignited calls for action to be taken against vigilantism and mob justice which appear to becoming a phenomenon in the Ghanaian society.
Evidence gathering
At exactly 10:15pm Tuesday, the five suspects were brought to the Regional Police Command in Cape Coast by a team led by Central Regional Police Commander, DCOP David Ampa Benyin.
Police sources say investigators will this morning begin taking formal statements from the five, and undertake rigorous interrogation as evidence is gathered to build a case against them for prosecution.
Investigators will also seek to get names of other persons who participated in the gruesome murder of the military officer, from the five suspects currently in Police custody in Cape Coast.
Central Regional Police PRO, ASP Irene Oppong told Onua FM, pictures and videos of the act which have emerged on social media will be considered as a part of the evidence gathering process.
No reprisals
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces has asked residents who fled the town for fear of reprisal to return as it winds up its operations in the town.
“We are not going to carry out reprisal attacks. People should feel free to go about their normal duties if they are not involved in any of these acts but once we require to get to the bottom of this matter we require them to give us information,” Chief of Army Staff, Major General William Anyamdo assured residents.
READ: Military investigators and troops storm Denkyira-Obuasi over murder Captain
Military personnel have since Tuesday night moved out of the town which virtually became a ghost town Tuesday due to the arrival of the military and police personnel.
By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com|Ghana