Military brutality: Chief of Army Staff apologises to Wa overlord
Chief of Army Staff Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah has rendered an unqualified apology to Wa overlord Naa Fuseini Pelpuo IV, for the brutish behaviour of some soldiers, who went on the rampage on Thursday, 1 July 2021 in the Upper West regional capital and assaulted anybody they met over a stolen mobile phone.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Soldiers brutalize residents over the alleged missing phone in Wa
Maj. Gen. Oppong-Peprah explained that the soldiers who misconducted themselves were deployed to the area just about a month ago.
“Let me, first of all, apologise for whatever happened and to tell you that all those involved in this act will be brought to book. I want to reassure you that we wouldn’t let this one occurrence mar our relationship at all”, Maj. Gen. Oppong Peprah said.
Already, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has indicated that it will deal with the soldiers captured on mobile phone footage randomly stopping, searching and brutalising civilians.
READ ALSO: GAF to discipline Soldiers involved in Wa Disturbances
A statement issued and signed by the Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Colonel E. Aggrey-Quashie, on 2 July 2021, indicated: “This unprofessional conduct took place on Thursday, 1 July 2021 and at a time when the commanding officer of the soldiers, and the chairman of the Regional Security Council, were both out of town on official engagements”.
“Internal disciplinary measures have been instituted to deal with all those who will be found culpable in this unprofessional conduct by the soldiers,” it further noted, adding: “Given the seriousness of the matter, the Chief of the Army Staff is leading a high powered military delegation to Wa to meet the traditional and opinion leaders to find an amicable way of resolving this unfortunate incident”.
“The delegation will also explore means to assuage the anger of the people and promote good neighbourliness”.
The army assured the locals of Wa and the general public that “their safety is paramount at all times, as such would not condone any professional conduct by any member of the force”.
Source: classfmonline
