“To attack and kill a soldier without provocation is the depth of insanity” – GJA on Kasoa murder

President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, has strongly condemned the fatal shooting of a soldier during a land dispute in Millennium City, Kasoa, Central Region.

The soldier, believed to be in his late 30s, was shot dead on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, around 4:20 pm, while two other officers with him managed to escape unharmed.

Police have arrested a suspect, Benlord Ababio, in connection with the shooting.

Speaking at the World Press Freedom Day 2024 commemoration at the Koforidua Technical University on Friday, May 3, Dwumfour described the soldier’s murder as “the depth of insanity”.

“The media have the mandate to uphold the 1992 Constitution and that includes the human rights provisions under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is on the basis of such mandate that we totally condemn the recent killing of a soldier at Millennium City near Kasoa over a land dispute.

“To attack and kill a soldier without provocation is the depth of insanity any human being can sink to. Under normal circumstances, the military would have launched a reprisal attack on Millennium City by now, and whenever they did so, they were condemned for violating the rights of innocent people.”

He commended the military for their restraint in response to the murder of their colleague and urged the public to respect security officers and refrain from attacking them.

“While commending the military for exercising restraint in the face of extreme provocation, we call on the Police to investigate the matter as quickly as possible and prosecute the killer. We also appeal to the general public to respect security officers and refrain from attacking them,” he urged.

Mr. Dwumfour also called on Ghanaians to acknowledge and value the efforts of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

“Let me take this occasion to urge all Ghanaians to appreciate officers of the Ghana Armed Forces, who have played an important part in our country’s stability. They also safeguard our country’s territorial integrity, and we must always support them.”