There is outrage among traders at the Ashaiman market over the alleged killing of a man by a military officer.
The soldier is said to have shot and killed the civilian on April 5 while on lockdown opertaion.
Some traders at the market have said that the military officer’s narration of the turn of events are inaccurate.
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.
According to Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the civilian was said to have engaged in a scuffle with the officer, after he reportedly tried to resist an arrest.
Addressing the issue, Military High Command said the civilian was being arrested on suspicion of indulging in illegal conduct contrary to the Narcotics Act.
“Initial reports are that the suspect in resisting arrest attempted to disarm the soldier leading to a struggle during which the soldier’s rifle accidentally went off,” Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. Eric Aggrey-Quarshie, said in a release.
Traders at the market have debunked this explanation.
“The soldier whipped him with a cane. But the third time, the civilian held the cane. Then the soldier went back to make a short phone call. Immediately he returned, he fired at the man.
“So we want to know who gave him the authority to shoot the man,” one of the workers at the market recounted.
“I thought he was going to fire a warning shot…but he just pointed the gun at his throat and shot. The bullet came out at the back of his head”, another trader said.
Security authorities are said to have launched an investigation into the killing of the civilian.
