A retired army officer is advocating for ‘eye-for-an-eye’ as the surest way to bring justice to the family of slain soldier, Major Maxwell Adam Mahama.
Captain Budu Koomson (retired), disgusted by the killing of the young army officer, said the life of perpetrators of the heinous crime should not be spared when they are found guilty.
“If the death penalty is still in the statute books it should be applied,” the retired army officer told Joy News Friday.
The ice of shock on the country following the murder of Major Mahama on May 29, has not melted two weeks on.
The late army officer was on national assignment when he was lynched by some residents of Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region. He was clobbered, stoned and burnt despite a consistent plea that he was an officer of the Ghana Army.
The murder has been widely condemned by Ghanaians and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has promised to bring the perpetrators to justice.
At least 43 suspects are standing trial at the Accra High Court in connection with the murder. They include the Assemblyman of Denkyira West, William Baah who is alleged to have instigated the mob attack.
At a state burial held at the State House in Accra Friday, mourners among them Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, senior government officials, Members of Parliament (MPs), and relatives of the deceased, were united in their condemnation of all forms of mob attacks.
The late Major was laid to rest at the Military Cemetery at Osu in Accra with his colleagues, juniors and seniors of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) calling for justice.
Captain Koomson (retired) said the immediate thing the state has to do is to ensure that a “swift investigation” is instituted into the “barbaric nature of the injustice.”
“Punishments must be applied,” the former army officer said, adding the perpetrators should be put to death by firing squad to indicate to all Ghanaians that mob injustice carries the maximum penalty of death.
“There should be advocacy and a law passed to address specifically mob injustice,” he said.
Captain Koomson (retired) also charged the police to exhibit professionalism in their prosecutorial and law enforcement duties.
“They should stop begging,” he said, adding Ghanaians will be satisfied if proper justice is given the family of the deceased.
I agree with captain Koomson