Ashaiman military swoop: Dalex CEO narrates how his driver was assaulted by soldiers

Several residents of Ashaiman were subjected to brutalities by soldiers on Tuesday

The Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Kenneth Thompson has questioned the overall rationale behind a military operation which saw several residents of Ashaiman being subjected to brutality on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

Speaking on Joy FM’s morning show, the finance expert narrated how his driver was accosted and beaten by the rampaging soldiers while on his way to work on his motorbike.

Describing the action by the soldiers as unacceptable whiles demanding an apology, Mr Thompson also asked for his driver’s damaged motorbike to be repaired.

“Today, it is Ashaiman, tomorrow it is Community 10, next day is East Legon then it comes to Adringanor, then it goes to Osu. We’re not a military state. What kind of country is this?

“It should never, ever happen. Eventually, if you speak up, they’ll come for you. What gives the military the right to go and brutalise civilians? What gives them the right?” he questioned.

The operation by the Ghana Armed Forces followed the murder of a young soldier on March 4.

Trooper Sherrif Imoro was murdered by suspected thieves on the said date in a neighbourhood of Ashaiman where he had left a military training course at 37 to visit his family.

His death led to a sanctioned “intelligence-led” operation by the Ghana Armed Forces on Tuesday where several residents reported of being brutalised by the soldiers.

184 residents were arrested during the operation in which some of the military brutalities were captured on camera.

The Ghana Armed Forces in a later release said the operation was aimed at apprehending the killers of the soldier and not a retaliatory.

While describing the brutalities as regrettable, GAF said the victims were unfortunately caught at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) also wishes to place on record that the swoop was not targeted at innocent civilians but was an intelligence-led operation conducted on suspected hideouts of criminals and crime prone areas in the general area. GAF however acknowledges that regrettably some innocent persons might have been caught up in the operation and consequently suffered some distress due to the location they found themselves at the time,” the statement said in part.

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