Interior Minister sets up three-member committee to probe Ejura violence

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The three-member ministerial committee will conduct a public inquiry into the circumstances that led to civil unrest in Ejura, Ashanti Region

The Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery, has set up a three-member committee to investigate the circumstances which led to the deaths of three people in Ejura in the Ashanti Region.

The committee has Justice George Kingsley Koomson as its chairman, together with Vladimir Antwi-Danso, an international relations expert, and Juliet Amoah, the executive director of Penplusbytes, as members.

“I’m announcing to the nation for the first time that I have set up a three-member ministerial committee to conduct a public inquiry into the unfortunate occurrences on Tuesday 29 June 2021,” Dery said.

In line with a presidential directive issued on 30 June, he has given the committee a ten-day ultimatum to submit its report.

Listen to Ambrose Dery:

Public inquiry

President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday instructed the Interior Minister to conduct a public inquiry into the circumstances in Ejura which led to the “unfortunate occurrences of Tuesday 29 June 2021”.

A statement signed by Eugene Arhin, the acting director of communications in the Office of the President, said: “The Interior Minister is to provide a detailed report from the inquiry, with recommendations for appropriate action, within ten days, ie, by 9 July 2021, to President Akufo-Addo.”

The statement said the president has been deeply saddened by the death of Ibrahim “Kaaka” Mohammed, a well-known citizen journalist in Ejura.

Arrests

Kaaka, 45, was reportedly attacked by unknown people in Ejura in the small hours of Sunday 27 June.

He died on Monday afternoon (28 June) at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, where he was receiving treatment.

At least two suspects have been arrested in connection with the Kaaka murder.

The suspects – Ibrahim Issaka and Fuseini Alhassan – were picked up on Monday evening in response to police intelligence.

Jonathan Ofori