Victims of Ejura incident petition Parliament over Justice Koomson’s confirmation to Supreme Court

Some victims and family members of victims of the June 2021 Ejura disturbance have petitioned Parliament against confirming Justice Kingsley Koomson to the Supreme Court. 

Justice Koomson, a Supreme Court nominee, who appeared before Parliaments Appointments Committee on Tuesday, chaired the Inter-ministerial committee that was tasked to investigate the Ejura violence. 

“We, the victims and families of victims of the Ejura killings submit this joint memorandum to petition the Appointments Committee of Parliament against confirming the Nomination of Justice Kingsley Koomson to the Supreme Court of Ghana, for his role in the work of the Inter-ministerial Committee to investigate the killings that occurred in Ejura by members of the Armed Forces,” the petition by the Joint Committee of Victims of the Ejura Incidents and dated October 20, 2022, stated. 

According to the petitioners, Justice Koomson “lacks the necessary independence of thought, moral conviction, and integrity that will support his nomination to the Supreme Court.”

They further state that his “record with the Koomson Committee shows that he is not up to the task and that he had failed when he was entrusted with a national duty requiring that he show the necessary independence of thought, moral conviction, and integrity that will support his nomination to the Supreme Court. We invite the Parliament Appointments Committee and subsequently the Appointments Committee and subsequently Parliament to reject the nomination of Justice Koomson to the Supreme Court.”

The petition is particularly addressed to Parliament's Appointments Committee. Copied are the Speaker, the Judicial Council, and the Office of the President. Also, signatories to the petition include, Alhaji Inusah Mohammed Bawa, the Chair of the group, and family representatives from the Abdul Nasir Yussif family, the Kaaka family, the Muntala Mohammed family, and the Ayikpa family. 

Background

The Ejura incident and killing is a fall out of the death of a social activist known as Ibrahim Mohammed popularly called ‘Kaaka’ on Monday, June 28, 2021. Two persons died, while others sustained various injuries during a clash between security persons and protesting youths. 

The President subsequently instituted a three-member committee to investigate the incident. 

The three-member Koomson Committee recommended among other things, the dismissal of the Municipal Chief Executive for Ejisu, Mohammed Salisu Bamba, as well as sanctions against the soldier who led the command for the ground operation on the day of the incident.

Further to the above, the committee has also made several recommendations. They include;

• Adequate compensation for the families of the two deceased persons, namely, Abdul Nasir Yusif and Murtala Suraj Mohammed. It indicated that adequate compensation must also be paid to other injured persons, namely, Louis Ayikpa(20years), Awal Misbau(16years), and Nasif Nuhu(30years).
• Moreover, the Committee’s Report recommends the structural expansion of the Police Station at Ejura and increase the Police Personnel.
• Additionally, it recommended to the Military Establishment to review the actions of the section on the ground led by Lieutenant Martin Opoku Adusei for the inappropriate use of force and apply sanctions appropriately.
• The Report also recommends the training of REGSEC, MUSEC, and DISEC officials in the Ashanti Region in conflict and crises Management at least once a year.
• In addition to the above, the report is calling for the development of a joint Standard Operative Procedure for Military/Police operations, including roles for indispensable allied agencies like the National Investigations Bureau, NADMO, Ghana National Fire Service, National Ambulance Service, etc.
• Moreover, the NCCE has been asked to intensify Public education in relation to the rights, obligations, and civic responsibilities of the people of Ejura.
• Also, the Reports recommends crowd/riot and crises control units should be made to wear bodycams, and all vehicles and mobile gadgets employed must also have cameras.
• Furthermore, the Committee has recommended the establishment of Sports and other Recreational Facilities in Ejura under the Zongo Development Fund, to re-channel energies of the youth.

In conclusion, the Report notes that the death of Mohammed Ibrahim aka “Kaaka” and the mishandling of the same, triggered the riots however the situation was worsened by the maximum application of force.

It, therefore, hoped that the ongoing investigations into “Kaaka’s” death would be expedited and the culprit(s) sanctioned.