3 Soldiers Torture 4 Students

The 4 boys accused of stealing a laptop

THREE SOLDIERS, Sergeant Adu Gyamfi, Sergeant Ebo Mensah and OC Prempeh (whose rank is not yet known) have been accused by parents of four Junior High School (JHS) students for allegedly torturing their wards to the point of death as they accused them of stealing a laptop belonging to one of the soldiers in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The students, who are currently nursing bruises, dislocation and fractures sustained on some parts of their bodies, are Joseph Anim 14; Samuel Ananine, 16; Nketia Solomon, 13; and Abubakari Abdul Sammed. One of them attends 3BN Garrison Basic School while the rest attend Urban Council School.

DAILY GUIDE has gathered that one of the soldiers, OC Prempeh, accused the boys of stealing his laptop on 24^th May, 2018; hence he organized his colleagues to go and teach the boys 'bitter lessons'.

According to the children, the soldiers beat them up with metal strips and sticks and forced them to confirm to the allegation though they knew nothing about the stolen laptop. One of them, Joseph Anim, explained the ordeal they went through at the hands of the soldiers.

He narrated: “They picked me at about 3am on 24^th June, 2018, in a car and went around to pick my friends. They told my parents they wanted me to assist them in an investigation. They tortured us with metal strips and sticks and forced us to admit stealing the laptop. They beat us mercilessly. We sustained bruises on various parts of our bodies. I even collapsed at a point but they would not stop beating me. They even threatened to kill me if I didn't admit stealing the laptop.”

According to Abubakari Seidu, the father of one of the boys, after realizing that the boys had become unconscious, the soldiers themselves took them to a medical centre for treatment. At the hospital, the parents were asked to go for police medical forms before the boys could be attended to.

Abubakari Seidu said he made a report to the regional police headquarters but was rather asked to report to the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for resolve.

Brong Ahafo Regional Director of CHRAJ, Halimatu Nuhu, confirmed receipt of reports from some of the parents of the boys.

She indicated: “We have written to the 3BN and the individual soldiers for their response but we are still waiting for their side of the issue. The incident is a torture case so I would advise the parents to send the boys to the Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital for further treatment since some of them are still complaining of internal pains.”