On March 10, 2023, the Ghana Police Service released a statement on social media confirming that they have arrested the main suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, a young military trooper. This is the first time that the police have spoken publicly about the case, which went viral on social media after Sherrif’s death on March 4.
Many social media users, particularly on Twitter and Facebook, have praised the police for quietly carrying out their investigation, despite the military’s decision to conduct a swoop that was not within their mandate. Some commenters have also criticized the military for their intelligence-led swoop, which resulted in the arrest of 184 people, all of whom were released within 48 hours.
Some of the praise for the police and critique of the military are below
On March 7th, the Ghanaian military conducted a raid on a section of the Ashaiman township, purportedly in response to an attack on Sherrif by unknown assailants, resulting in his death. This action was met with widespread condemnation, as it was deemed illegal for the military to undertake the role of law enforcement, which is the responsibility of the police. Furthermore, reports indicated that some residents of Ashaiman Taifa were subjected to brutality and violence during the operation, exacerbating the already contentious situation. The military maintained that the operation was authorized, but acknowledged that some excesses occurred during the raid.
FULL STATEMENT: POLICE ARREST KEY SUSPECTS IN THE MURDER OF IMORO SHERRIF, A SOLDIER
The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March, 2023.
Full details of the arrests made by the Police on Thursday, 9th March and at dawn today, 10th March 2023, within Ashaiman and its environs follow…
The March 7 military swoop
Ashaiman was recently stormed by dozens of military officers following the gruesome murder of a young soldier, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, by unidentified persons on March 4, 2023. The operation, which involved trucks, an armored car, and a helicopter, resulted in various forms of assault being meted out on residents, as seen in videos shared on social media.
In a statement released on March 8, the Ghana Armed Forces confirmed that they authorized the operation, which led to the arrest of 184 people and the seizure of suspected illegal drugs. However, they also acknowledged that excesses may have occurred during the operation, without apologizing or committing to conducting an investigation.
On March 8, the initial 150 suspects were released, and the remaining 34 were reported to have been released without charge by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, the convener of the Fix The Country movement, on March 9.
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