Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has voiced disappointment over the compensation awarded to victims of the Techiman South shooting, expressing his wish for a higher amount.
The High Court in Wenchi had directed the state to compensate six individuals injured during the 2020 election-related shooting at the Techiman South collation centre with GH¢270,000.
Addressing a mini rally in Twimia Nkwanta, Bono East Region, Mahama condemned the incident and vowed to offer further compensation if elected.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to thoroughly investigate the matter and hold those responsible accountable.
He said, “The compensation given to the victims, I was thinking it would be more than the 275,000 cedis but I acknowledge the court’s decision. However, when the NDC comes to power, we’ll ensure to provide necessary assistance to the victims.
“Also, we would investigate the matter and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book and face the law. Also, those who lost their lives, we’ll compensate their families.”
The incident occurred after the 2020 parliamentary election, when unrest broke out at the collation centre prior to the declaration of Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah as the elected Member of Parliament. In an attempt to manage the situation, security forces fired shots, killing two people and injuring several others.
The injured parties filed a lawsuit at the High Court, citing a violation of their right to life under Article 13 of the 1992 Constitution and international law.
The Attorney General’s office, representing the state, acknowledged the shooting but argued that security officers had only fired warning shots to disperse a crowd that was allegedly attempting to disrupt the collation process and harm election officials.
The state claimed the officers’ actions were justified, arguing that some injuries might have resulted from gunfire within the crowd, not from the officers themselves. However, the court rejected these arguments, concluding that security personnel had fired directly into the crowd indiscriminately, with no constitutional basis for such action.
The court also found no evidence to support the claim of additional gunfire from the crowd and ruled that the security officers’ actions violated the plaintiffs’ right to life. Though the plaintiffs initially sought GH¢5 million in compensation for the first applicant and GH¢2 million each for the others, the court determined that there was insufficient evidence to justify those amounts.
As a result, the court awarded GH¢45,000 to each of the six applicants.