Ashaiman shooting incident victims yet to be compensated

Ashaiman, June 3, GNA – People who were injured and relatives of those who lost their lives during the Ashaiman police shooting incident are yet to be compensated one year after the incident.

Two persons, Moses Kassim and Moses Ofori, died and several people sustained injuries on the morning of Tuesday, June 3, 2008 when the Ashaiman police fired during a misunderstanding between the police and drivers.

The drivers, who had refused to work, besieged the police station and burnt lorry tyres on the road to demand the immediate release of their colleagues who were held by the police for parking and loading at unauthorized places.

The lack of transportation on the day infuriated the public who threw stones at the police personnel at the station leading to the police firing to disperse the crowd.

One year after the incident Mr Benjamin Kabutey, a 23-year-old labourer who lost his right when a rubber bullet hit it, told the Ghana News Agency that he was yet to receive any compensation from the Ministry of Interior.

Mr Kabutey said he abandoned his treatment at the Korle Bu E&T Department due to lack of funds and efforts to get the authorities to come to his aid had proved futile.

He appealed to the government to adequately compensate the victims and relatives of the deceased.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Joshua Dogbeda, Tema Regional Crime Officer, confirmed that apart from helping to organize the funeral rites of the deceased the victims are yet to be compensated.

Mr Dogbeda said the Police Administration was no longer in charge of the issue and that it would take some time before the Ministry of Interior could compensate them as the new government would have to study the issue before taking any action.

He said his outfit had been communicating regularly with the relatives of the dead to assure them of the Police Administration's willingness to support them in whatever they do.

Mr Alfred Agbesi, Member of Parliament for the Ashaiman, said he was not aware whether any of the victims had been compensated or any of the recommendations made by the committee that investigated the issue had been implemented.

A committee of enquiry tasked to investigate circumstances that led to the shootings recommended that the Ashaiman MTTU Commander at the time should be interdicted while the police station situated near the lorry park is relocated to the premises of the district police headquarters as that place is more spacious among others.

GNA