The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, has assigned the Defence and Interior Committee to conduct an investigation into the killing of five individuals suspected to be land guards by the police.
This follows a request by Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro MP, Sylvester Tetteh, following reports that some of the deceased were average residents and not land guards.
On June 8, 2023, five land guards were shot dead during an anti-robbery and land guard operation by the Police at Bortianor in Accra for “terrorizing residents and landowners in Bortianor and nearby communities.”
In a statement signed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Director of Public Affairs, Grace Ansah-Akrofi noted that the suspects upon noticing the police team “opened fire from their hideout, prompting the Police to return fire.”
While the five shot were pronounced dead at the hospital, the remaining suspects fled the scene and are still on the run, the police noted.
But recent information before Parliament indicating otherwise has entreated Parliament to intervene.
Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah has also called upon the leadership of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs to collaborate with the Defence and Interior Committee to assist with the inquiry.
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament tasked the committees to “report back by the end of this month.”
Meanwhile, the Police say a total of five weapons were recovered from the crime scene.
They include: one AK47 Assault rifle, 10 rounds of AK47 ammunition, one pump action gun with nine rounds of BB cartridges, two pistols with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, one unregistered Toyota Tacoma pickup, four motorbikes, three of which are unregistered, a knife and a pepper spray.
The police, on the other hand, are actively pursuing the remaining suspects, some of whom are believed to have sustained gunshot injuries during the operation.