Swift action by National Security on the back of a viral video showing military personnel beating up civilians in Wa over a missing mobile phone has seen three soldiers demoted for their involvement in the abuses.
The Orderly, Guard Commander and the Sentry at the Wa barracks have all been demoted to lower ranks.
The Orderly has been demoted from Staff Sergeant to Corporal; the Guard Commander, from Corporal to Private; and the Sentry has been demoted from Lance Corporal to Private.
Some eight other soldiers who were captured the viral video brutalising the residents have been charged, tried and handed 30 days each in detention by the disciplinary committee chaired by the Commanding Officer.
All of the eight are said to be junior rank military personnel.
This was contained in the report of the preliminary findings of a 4-member committee tasked to investigate the assault in the Upper West Regional capital.
Also, all military personnel on duty on July 1 at the barracks when the residents were brutalised, except for the Duty Officer, have been punished.
The report indicates that the trial of the Duty Officer, a Lieutenant, will start at a later date.
Also, 86 soldiers were identified to have taken part in the inhumane act that was not sanctioned by the military. 30 of them have been interrogated so far.
The report on the preliminary investigation also revealed that 11 civilians who suffered the brutalities sustained various degrees of injuries.
One of them, Gafur Mahama, has developed a fracture on his thighbone and has undergone surgery.
Three other persons were admitted to the Wa Municipal Hospital.
Three civilians had said they lost 13 mobile phones, a tricycle and an amount of GHc1,460 but so far, seven mobile phones and the tricycle have been retrieved and return to the owner.Â
Investigators are yet to retrieve the cash.
What happened?
The preliminary investigation revealed that the incident started when a soldier whose name is withheld on June 30 alleged his mobile phone was snatched from around 6:00 pm.
He informed his colleague private soldier who in turn informed the Duty Officer that same day.
The Duty Officer is alleged to have permitted the troops to go to town in search of the missing mobile phone.
This is what led to the alleged brutalities in the town, according to the report.
The 86 young soldiers who were part of the act passed out between April 30, 2021, and June 4, 2021, and were posted to the 10 Mechanised Battalion Aggrey barracks.
Upon arrival at the barracks, they were granted a month leave and returned on June 30, a day before the incident ensued.
The 4-member team comprised of personnel from the military and the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) and is led by Colonel B. Z Ayorrogo.
The other members are Lt Col George Eduah Beesi, Francis Aboagye and Maxwell Dassah.
The investigation is under the auspices of the National Security.