The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen Obed Akwa, was met with rage when he met officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) yesterday to assuage their pain following the callous murder of Captain Maxwell Adam Mahama when he was jogging at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region on Monday.
The CDS made the appeal at an emergency meeting with ranks of the GAF at Burma Hall, Burma Camp in Accra.
The atmosphere at the hall was tense and the expression on the faces of the soldiers was that of anger, an indication that they wanted an opportunity to vent their anger on the murderers of their colleague.
Additionally, the soldiers did not see why the case should be handled by the Ghana police alone whereas the GAF has a Military Police (MP) Unit, which according to them, is very efficient in handling such high-profile crimes.
“We are the last resort in this country. If we allow ourselves to be beaten this way… as a Christian, by what Jesus said in Matthew 26 verse 52: ‘He who draws the sword must die by the sword,’” one fuming soldier stated.
This soldier was supported by a Muslim counterpart who supported his emotions with verses from the Quran to the applause of the soldiers present.
The soldiers were also impatient with the pace of the police investigation, which has so far seen seven suspects arrested for their alleged roles in the murder.
They were especially mindful of the videos of the gruesome act on social media, and wondered why the military police could not take over.
“We have military police. It is not in every instance that we allow the civilian police to be telling us about evidence. You have seen something clearly and you are telling me about evidence. What more evidence do you want from this? The Ghana Armed Forces has the military police. We can handle our things. It is not everything that you take to the civilian police,” one of them averred.
Some of the soldiers also called for a total boycott and discontinuation of all anti-lumbering and anti-galamsey operations.
“I will suggest we leave the work for the police to also carry out so that we come back to our barracks,” one soldier suggested.
Calm
The CDS, in an affectionate mood, impressed upon them to accept what had happened as a challenge and a test of their efficiency and not anything which is beyond their capabilities.
“Every operation has its challenges and the nature of our mandate to defend our country against external invasion while supporting internal security like the police cannot be discontinued; however, we can call for a review of the rules of engagement, “he stated.
Lt. Gen. Akwa further stated that the GAF was working very closely with the police to ensure that the perpetrators of the gruesome act were brought to face the law and appropriate punishment meted out to them.
Speaking on the welfare and future of the deceased’s immediate family, the CDS gave the assurance that the GAF would play its role as required, adding that a number of philanthropists and international groups had been finding out from him how they could support the family.
While expressing appreciation to the Commander in-Chief of the GAF, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr. Bawumia, the clergy and civil society groups, among others, for their respective assurances and solidarity, he also appealed to social media patrons to stop posting images on the criminal act since that creates embarrassment to the bereaved family.
Capt. Maxwell Adam Mahama was on military detachment at the Denkyiri-Obuasi area.
The people in the community claimed he was an armed robber and lynched him.
He is survived by a wife and two children.
Source: Daily Guide
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I SALUTE CAPT.MAHAMA AS A DEVOTED SOLDIER WHO HAVE SACRIFICE HIS LIFE FOR MOTHER GHANA.HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE AND GOD GIVE STRENGTH TO HIS FAMILY TO OVERCOME THIS MISFORTUNE.THE BRAVE MILITARY SHOULD NOT BE SHAKEN BY THIS MISFORTUNE INCIDENT BUT MUST BE WATCH OUT BECAUSE THIS PRESENT WORLD IS NOT SAVE.INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE KILLED EVERYDAY ALL OVER THE WORLD DUE TO GREED AND POWER.AS A SOLDIER PIKIN I SALUTE YOU ALL AND DO NOT LET THIS INCIDENT LOWER YOUR MORALS.OUR FATHERS FOUGHT AND SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES FOR OUR INDEPENDENT SO IT WILL BE.I SALUTE SGT. ADJETEY,CPL.AKAKPO AND HIS COMRADES.GOD BLESS GHANA.
The army wants the military police to take over? This shows even the army have no confidence in the police force and it's an indictment to the police. This is shameful and disgraceful. People who do not deserve to be in the police are there just because their party was in power and protocol so have no respect for the police service because they were put there to do whatever they want to do and when it is time for dirty works for the party they are called to do that. Such people do not need to be in the police,they are mostly the ones who collect bribes to make cases ***barred word***. In fact the police need reshuffle. Some of the police who take bribes must be stripped of their uniforms and sent to the agricultural sector as extention officers for those who are there for the same mission to have a 2nd thought. If Osagyefo could send Agric.FAs and extention officers to join the police during his time we can equally do that to the police by sending the bad nuts to agriculture extention. We need a corrupt free society or minimize it in Ghana. I can't understand why Togo police are much more efficient than their Ghanaian counterparts? Look at what happened in Tatale how swift the Togolese were but were prevented to enter Ghana to rescue Ghanaians from the hands of armed robbers for free,while Ghana police who will get paid at the end of the month did nothing. God have mercy. The real problem must be sort out from their training grounds who train them are they qualified? We don't need PHDs to train them better,the bugabuga police man is better than those with PHDs. You can't mess with bugabuga police all he knows is the law says this and that.
Sack all the soldiers who went to the village to manhandle innocent people. If you are a solder you are not above the law. Those who killed the Capt are wicked and evil men/women that need be punished by law. How many time have a soldier killed a civilian so no reason without any punishment? Are soldiers more Ghanaian or human than the rest of us? EVIL is EVIL and must be punished by law
I'm very much in agreement with the soldier who asked a very important question, what more evidence do the police want after all the videos that are not only on social media, but every where? We are tired of this evidence thing they should give us a break. I think the case should be handed over to the military police and the face of justice will be seen in no time. A small child even, can recognise some faces in the videos that are everywhere if not all and you are still talking about evidence? God save us.
I definitely support this investigation should have been done by the Military Police instead of leaving it in the hands of the corrupt and incompetent regular police. Don't be surprised to see them do a very poor job of an investigation which will lead to nothing.All it needs is money to bribe them because that's what motivates them.They're to take the greatest portion of the blame for the culture of impunity which has bedevilled and is threatening our peace as a country. If you bet your 1pesewa for Ghana police to deliver justice you will loose it. Some are even part of crimes such as armed robbery and human trafficking and their superiors cover them up cos they share in the proceeds. For laws to work the police system needs serious fixing.
soldier fo ne ankwasiasem.
LOOK AT THESE SO CALLED EDIOTIC FULLS CALLING THEMSELVES ARMY GENERALS because in as much as we are all grossly regret what happened to our brother Captain Max Mahama ; I still believe the blame should squarely be put on the Ghana Armed Forces heads ; the army keeps on telling Ghanaians that the soldiers were sent there to clean galamasey and that it was officially sunctioned by the army but what the army has not told Ghanaians is the brief of the soldiers in the area because the minister Mr Amenvu complained that some 'BIG MEN WERE behind and still mining ; THE ARMY IS MISLEADING GHANAIANS BECAUSE THE DEATH OF THIS FINE SOLDIER ALTHOUGH WITH SINCERE REGRETS MUST BE INVESTIGATED ; was there mining activities in the area by this Chinese Company who they claim were mining legally ; so if this compamy is mining legally why do you need to protect the chinese company because according to the local people 'galamasey' have virtually stopped in the area; whilst the Chinese mining company were still mining ; so the question is who authorised them to continue mining whilst minig activities had been stopped by Mr Amenvu ; did this chinese mining company have these so called big men behind the company with protection from the government of Nana Addo ; besides it is very strange that a whole army goes into a terrain without having strategic briefing or intelligence about the nature of the community about the area ;why was Captain Mahama allowed to go on a jogging without a least two aides with radio because common millitary training should have told the Major in charge or senior officer that if you go into an uncertain zone you do not do not go alone because it was ***barred word*** hardy and poor millitary training besides carrying a weapon cannot not save you when you are attacked by the locals at least the man should have carried a radio to call for support ; we can see this in any war zone anywhere in the world ; in Iraq; Syria ; Afganistan soldiers do not go on patrol or jogging alone; VERY POOR MILLITARY TRAINING ; OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY !!!!!!
TO MY SUGGESTION IN THIS THE MILITARY POLICE AND THE MILITARY SHOULD HANDLE THIS MURDER CASE AND THE DENKYIRA OBUASI TOWN MUST BE DESTROY AND BURN CAUSE I LENT THAT IS THE GALAMSEY PEOPLE BEHAVIOR IN THE TOWN THEY HAVE NO PITTY AND RESPECT IN THE TOWN
The least said about you the better!!! Can't tell if a family member of yours was a victim of such a dastard act. Haven't people died in fires and accidents? Then why did the nation grieve soo much in the June 3rd disaster? Please, it is not force to open your vocal cavity but be careful some of the curses are not directed at you
The military should handle this case cause they have military police period. And also is a plan thing they did cause Capt Adam informed them that he is a soldier but still they insisted.