Ghanaian soldier shoots tourist to death
The Ghana Military Police are investigating the death of a 33-year-old man shot by a group of armed soldiers some two weeks ago.
Sam Tetteh, who was on holiday from the US, was shot while riding a motorbike with friends in Saltpond where they went for a holiday ride.
No motive has been established yet for the shooting.
Narrating the incident to Joy News, a friend of the deceased who was part of the holidaying group said they were needlessly terrorized by the armed soldiers.
“It all happened in a split second. When I got round the corner, Sam was veering off into the bush and the soldiers were shouting we have killed one of them. They then asked me to get off my bike and they started beating me together with my other friend, a Nigerian tourist.”
Describing their aggressors, the young man said, “they were dressed in soldier uniforms, heavily armed, they had grenade launchers on their guns, they had 64 battalions printed on the guns.”
The motor bikes, according to him, were smashed as the soldiers continued with their attacks.
He argued they did not flout any safety regulation nor indulged in anything untoward to warrant such a reaction from the armed soldiers.
“We were dressed in stipulated motor gear, a helmet, protective clothing padded, shoulders, padded knee, that is the appropriate dressing for riding a motor bike.”
The Central Regional police command has confirmed the incident to Joy News but says an unnamed culprit has been transferred to his unit for appropriate action to be taken.
Even though investigations into the incident have not been firmed up, Chief Superintendent Wilson said there is evidence that the culprit fired the rifle. He however refused to disclose the name of the implicated soldier.
Further checks at the Central Regional Hospital indicate the victim died through gunshot wounds and broken ribs.
A grief-stricken relative of the victim, Ben Tetteh said the family will resort to the courts for appropriate action to be taken.
Source: myjoyonline