Ejura committee: We don’t owe Kaaka family anything
Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, a member of the Koomson Committee that probed the Ejura disturbances, has reiterated that the committee was not tasked to investigate the death of Ibrahim Mahama “Kaaka”.
Dr Antwi-Danso was reacting to assertions by the family of Kaaka that the committee’s report, which was published yesterday, is fraught with factual inaccuracies.
He said, “Let’s get things straight – ab initio, the committee was smeared with all kinds of propaganda, and I think all of us, especially the media, should have to help to educate people [on the committee’s work].
“The committee was not tasked to investigate Kaaka’s death and if the family knew what the committee should have done, then they should ask for another committee. Kaaka’s death was a criminal case and committees are not set up on criminal cases.”
“Wrong conception”
Speaking with Nana Yaa Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show, Dr Antwi-Danso added: “We advise that if they [the family] have any information they should give it to the police who are still working on the case. Our committee was not asked to investigate Kaaka’s death.
“Our mandate was post-Kaaka events. Of course, the starting point will be Kaaka’s death, and [then] we establish whatever we have to establish as the basis for what we have to find out.
“Before that, the media was awash with all kinds of things, misleading the public against the committee. And then they said our work has been doctored. Doctored by who? Our work, has it been given to any other person apart from the government?”
He added, “And so the misconception that we should have dealt with Kaaka’s death is a very wrong conception … and we don’t owe the family anything … I’m angry about this and all of us on the committee … are angry … that the family was made to believe we were not going to do a good job.”
Recommendations
The ministerial committee that investigated the Ejura disturbances in June has recommended the transfer of the police chief for the area, Deputy Superintendent of Police Philip Kojo Hammond.
In their report, released on Monday (27 September), the three-member committee that investigated the unrest said: “The committee recommends the immediate transfer of the district police commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond, first for his incompetence in handling the situation and for the fact that his relationship with the community seems to have been damaged beyond repair.”
It added: “We further recommend the structural expansion of the Ejura Police Station and an increase in personnel.”
Compensation
The committee also recommended “adequate compensation for the families of the two deceased persons, namely Abdul Nasir Yusif and Murtala Suraj Mohammed”.
“Adequate compensation must also be paid to other injured persons, namely Louis Ayikpa (20 years), Awal Misbau (16 years) and Nasif Nuhu (30 years),” the report said.
