Mobilla’s Family Doubts Police

The family of the former Regional Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), the late Alhaji Issah Mobilla, has described as unacceptable the unpreparedness of the Tamale police and authorities responsible in arresting those responsible for the death of their kinsman.

The situation has further pushed counsel for the family of the deceased Nana Adjei Ampofo of Fidelity Chambers, to question whether a special treatment was not being accorded the killers of the late regional chairman.

According to Nana Adjei the wives, children and brothers find it extremely offensive that about one month after the untimely death of Alhaji Issah in Military custody at Kamina Barracks in Tamale, the Police are yet to apprehend the perpetrators of that heinous crime.

He said the situation has engendered a situation where both the extended and nuclear families have reached the conclusion that the Police are petrified at the consequences of taking action against personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and questioned what would have happened if the same crime had been committed by any ordinary Ghanaian.

Alhaji Mobilla who is variously described as a philanthropist and humble was alleged to have died in military custody on December 9, 2004. A pathologist's report on his body indicated that he died as a result of suspected torture. The report said, the deceased died as a result of the collapse of the left lung with his haemothorax, fractured ribs and severe multiple abrasions on various part of the body.

The autopsy, which was performed by Dr. Kofi Adomako Boateng of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, also indicated that the larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes and brain showed congestion.

Other internal parts, such as the heart, stomach, kidneys, intestines, pancreas and pituitary, were said to be normal.

The deceased, who was in his early 50s, was also the Chairman of the Tamale-Bolgatanga Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).

Both the Police and Military commissioned investigations into the case but nobody has yet been arrested over his death but Nana Adjei has vowed to do everything within his powers to fight for the family to see justice for the untimely loss of their beloved one.

Nana Adjei Ampofo who is also a private investigator said their personal investigations have established that apart from Alhaji Mobila so many others persons were also ill-treated at the Kamina Barracks and that the family intends to make them available as its witnesses to attest to that criminal action.

He thinks “the law must work whether suspects are soldiers or not” and finds it extremely incredible that the Ghana Armed Forces with its high level of discipline and so much international recognition is finding it difficult to locate those behind the man's death over a month ago.

Nana Adjei Ampofo told the Network Herald that apart from fact the rules of the military insist that personnel are not supposed to be present at any military installation unless they have been instructed to do so, records are also kept to show who was where and at what time. So it is to him mind-boggling that the military authorities are unable to reach their records to determine who went into their custody brutalized and killed the man.

He insisted that the military was throwing dust into the public's eye because they may not even make the outcome of the investigation by its Board of Inquiry public.

He also insisted that the military know those who killed the man and entreated the Police to put into effect their constitutional responsibility by bringing them to book, adding “I will write officially to IGP Nana Owusu-Nsiah.”

When reached for his comments, Col. Emmanuel Nibo of the Public Relations Department of the Ghana Armed Forces told the Network Herald that it is only the Board of Inquiry that would establish the involvement of the military and until that investigation was completed, people must exercise patience.

He however promised that the military would make all necessary information available to the family members of the deceased CPP Chairman if directed to do so after the investigation.