Uneasy Calm In Wa Following Military Brutality Over Missing Mobile Phone
An uneasy calm has returned to the Wa township following the assault meted out to some residents by military officers.
The incident ensued on the Tindaamba Crescent stretching towards the Wa Zongo and the Wa Daily Market on Thursday, July 1.
The victims who were mostly commercial tricycle operators, motorist and pedestrians were whipped and made to roll on the bare floor with some forced into gutters nearby.
The soldiers from the 10 Mechanized Battalion Infantry in Wa and based at the Napogbakoee area were seen in a viral video brutalizing civilians on the street.
This followed allegations that one of them had their mobile phone stolen on Wednesday night by an unknown commercial tricycle rider.
The military officers, numbering over 50, moved out of the barracks to the Tindaamba Crescent and started beating some of the residents.
About 12 people were rushed to the Wa municipal hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Two others, however, sustained severe injuries and were detained at the hospital.
One of them is a 29-year-old vulcanizer, Gafur Mahama who was beaten to a pulp.
He had minor bruises at his back and a fracture on his right thigh rendering him unable to walk or sit up.
Another victim is the Public Relations Officer of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, Cletus Awuni.
He was dragged from a car together with the Regional Director of National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mustapha Ahmed and beaten for allegedly attempting to video the acts.
Mr Mustapha was, however, saved from further beating by the Upper West Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), DSP Emelia Gyekye who intervened by talking to the irate personnel.
Meanwhile, calm was restored when more personnel from the Ghana Police Service came to the scene and pleaded with the soldiers to return to the barracks.
Upper West Regions Police Command said two persons have reported the matter.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has been tasked to liaise with them to investigate the issue.