Foase Shootings: Four victims laid to rest amidst howls (PHOTOS)

Four victims killed by the police and joint military force at Atwima Foase shooting were laid to rest at Foase in the Ashanti Region on Thursday December 13, 2018 before a crowd of thousands and dignitaries from region and beyond amidst howls.

The funeral which was dubbed “”What have we done to deserve this?”” saw hundreds of sympathizers in their red and black attire joining the affected families in the burial service.

The occasion was also heavily tinged with emissions and heavy tears by families.

The four Kwadwo Fori, 47, Douglas Addai, 35, Prince Boateng, 29 and Danso Seth 24 years who were all laid to rest simultaneously at the Foase community cemetery.

Reading a tribute for the victims, Madam Akosua Boakye, the mother of Danso Seth said their sons were wrongly brutalized by the security officials who were on duty that day.

She appealed to the Ashanti Regional minister to get to the bottom of this killing.

The Ashanti Regional minister Hon. Simon Osei Mensah for the first time visited the families of the deceased amid heavy security.

He was accompanied by representatives from the Ashanti Regional Peace Council and the DCE for Atwima Kwanwoma District Nana Okyere Tawia.

Background

The Four were on Wednesday February 7, 2017   killed in Atwima-Foase in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region following a misunderstanding over the siting of a new district capital.

They were allegedly shot to death by personnel from the Buffalo Unit of the Ghana Police Service who were dispatched to the town to help maintain calm after confusion erupted over the movement of equipment belonging to the District Assembly from Atwima-Foase to Trede.

Probe

The Ashanti Regional Police Command, has begun a probe into the fatal shooting of mason at Foase during a mass protest over the planned relocation of the Atwima-Kwanwoma district capital to Twedie.The deceased, identified only as Kweku alias “Onua”, was hit right in the head by a stray bullet believed to have been fired by police officers sent to the place to restore order.

He had reportedly gone to carry out repair works on a Methodist Church building in the town and was returning to the house, when he took the direct hit and died instantly. The incident has led to the outpouring of public rage, condemnation and growing calls for punishment of his killers.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP Juliana Obeng, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer, has however, given the assurance that they would not shield anybody found to have acted unprofessionally.She said the police service would not condone lawlessness and unprofessional conduct.

Implementation committee

A 7-member Committee has been set up to implement recommendations of a committee set up to investigate a shooting incident which left four people dead in February this year at Foase in the Ashanti Region.

Police shot at the residents who were protesting over the relocation of the Atwima Kwanwoma District capital from Foase to nearby Twedie.

The government responded by setting up a committee to investigate the shootings after residents accused police of targeting them.

The Ministry of National Security is set to reimburse GHS108,58 cedis in medical costs for victims. The committee, among other things, will also ensure relocation of the District Capital to Twedie.

At its meeting on Monday, the committee proposed three dates – December 8, 13 or 15 – for the burial of all deceased persons.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com