Ashanti Regional Minister Mr Simon Osei-Mensah has indicated that intelligence received by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) forced him to deploy the military and police personnel to Ejura.
According to him, the intel he had pointed to threats by the youth of Ejura to burn state and private properties after the burial of social activist, Ibrahim Mohammed also known as ‘Kaaka’.
Mr Osei-Mensah told the three-member ministerial committee, tasked to investigate circumstances that led to the shooting to death, of two protesting youth at Ejura last week that the law establishing the Security Council grants him powers to deploy the security personnel.
The committee chaired by an appeals court judge Justice George Kingsley Koomson will receive evidence from witnesses to ascertain the cause of the violence and make recommendations to the president.
The Ashanti Regional Minister who was the first witness told the committee, the deployment was sent to maintain law and order.
“I received intelligence that the youth planned to destroy the Ejura Police station and a house belonging to two suspected arrested in connection with the death of Kaaka.
“So based on this information, I ordered the police and military to go to the town and maintain law and order and I did so as chairman of the regional security council because the law grants me that power”, Mr Osei-Mensah told the committee.
He indicated that the security personnel were pelted with stones and other missiles forcing them to respond to the protesters, some of whom sustained serious injuries.
However, the regional minister was unable to tell who fired the shots, leading to the death of the two protestors.
“The initial plan was to go there and ensure maintenance of law and order but whiles returning from the cemetery after the burial of Kaaka, the youth started attacking the police water cannon vehicle and I have a video to back this…indeed the professionalism of the police water cannon vehicle driver prevented what could have been a run over the protestant, at this stage, the military stepped in and the firing started but I’m unable to tell you fired the shot,” Osei-Mensah added.
Despite pleading and assurance for protection of the person who recorded video allegedly capturing the youth of Ejura pelting the police with stones, the minister insisted he will not reveal the identity of the person.
He said he was not sure the committee could protect his source.
