Ashaiman shooting incident victim pleads for compensation

Ashaiman, Dec 11, GNA - A 23-year-old labourer who sustained injury in his right eye during the Ashaiman shooting incident in June has pleaded with the government to compensate him in accordance with the recommendations of a committee of enquiry that probed the incident. Mr Benjamin Kabutey, the victim who has lost his right eye, said he had not had any information from the government since the five-member committee of enquiry handed over its report to Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the Minister for Interior, in September.

Two people lost their lives and Mr Kabutey and others sustained injuries on June 03 during a clash between the Ashaiman police and commercial drivers over wrongful parking in the municipality. The Ministry of Defence set up committee of enquiry headed by Mr Justice C.J. Honyenuga, an Appeals Court judge, to investigate circumstances leading to the clash as well as give recommendations. Narrating his ordeal to the Ghana News Agency in Tema on Wednesday, Mr Kabutey said he had no money to continue his treatment at the Ear, Eye and Throat Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. He said he had already spent about GH¢ 1,500 on the treatment of the eye saying "I have stopped going for checkups because there is no money to do so."

Recounting how he lost his sight, Mr Kabutey said on that day he and other passengers alighted from a vehicle at the main station and headed towards the police station area.

When they reached the Ashaiman branch of the Procredit Bank, which is near the police station, he fell down after being hit by an object. Mr Kabutey said he was taken to the Daben Hospital and later to the Tema General Hospital and later referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where he was admitted for a month. Mr Kabutey pleaded with the government and other authorities on behalf of the victims to give them the necessary help and compensation as he could not work because of the eye injury. He said it was unfortunate that after three months of the submission of the report, victims have been neglected by the authorities without communicating to them any developments.