Eye witness gives clear account of how a civilian was shot to death by a soldier in Ashaiman
Some traders at the Ashaiman Market have expressed outrage at the alleged killing of a man by a military officer on Sunday morning.
The agitated traders told Joy News that the military officer’s narration of the turn of events are inaccurate.
The eyewitnesses claim the deceased, a homeless truck pusher in his mid-30s was killed after he was ordered by a soldier to leave the market.
Eric Ofotsu, also known as “No Yawa”, a resident of Taabo Line in the Ashaiman Municipality was fatally shot by a soldier on Sunday.
The soldier, who is a Staff Sergeant was part of a team conducting ‘Operation COVID-19 Safety’ assigned by the Ghana Armed Forces to the Ashaiman Municipality.
Ofotsu’s death has prompted the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to commence investigations into the incident .
Though a statement from GAF said the deceased resisted arrest for carrying cannabis, an eyewitness at the scene, Ofosua McCarthy has however refuted that claim.
Ofosuwaa, a family friend of the deceased, said she went to escort a friend that Sunday. On her return, she ran into the soldier who questioned why she was outside.
She said her response to him was that she was going to the washroom.
“When I came out, I saw him (soldier) telling Ofotsu to leave the area, but Ofotsu told him (soldier) that he lives at the market,” Ofosuwaa recounted. “I told the soldier that Ofotsu was mentally challenged and he sleeps and works at the market by transporting goods and engaging in menial jobs”.
She said Ofotsu had desilted the gutters the previous day, and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly had not even paid him.
“All of us around told the soldier he (Ofotsu) had a mental problem,” she said, as she alleged that the serviceman ignored her comments.
Ofosuwaa said she saw the soldier make a call and someone at the other end of the line instructed him to kill Ofotsu.
After the call, “He cocked his gun, and we all took cover, but before we realised he had shot him (Ofotsu)”.
“I ran and held my ‘brother’, and I started calling neighbours for help,” she said in tears.
“If they said Ofotsu held on to the soldier’s gun, it is a lie. He never tried to disarm the soldier. The soldier didn’t try,” she concluded.
Thanks for reading from Ghsplash a news publishing website from Ghana. Share this article, For spelling mistakes and other related issues contact us