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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have found the soldiers who were accused of assaulting a young boy over a stolen phone in Tamale culpable.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Michael Sampson Oje, who made this known, indicated that the soldiers had been found guilty following a thorough investigation by the GAF into the matter.

Air Vice Marshal Oje was responding to media concerns over the delay in releasing the findings of investigations into brutalities and assault of civilians by military personnel.

Media interaction 

At a media engagement in Accra, he told representatives of media houses  that the GAF had handed over the case to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for further investigations.

He explained that sometimes the results of investigations were not released on time because after the GAF had completed their work the Ghana Police Service and CHRAJ took over “and we have to wait for them to finish their work before we can determine the penalties”.

That, he said, was because there could not be double punishment for the same offence.

Additionally, he stated that the personnel of the GAF were bound by two laws, including the Armed Forces Act and the laws of the nation.

“The Ghana Armed Forces cannot try cases relating to murder, rape and stealing,” as such cases are handled by the police.

Indiscipline

Air Vice Marshal Oje cautioned personnel of the GAF that acts of indiscipline would not be tolerated because the GAF were a disciplined institution.

He gave an assurance that all reported cases about engagement of GAF personnel in any form of indiscipline would be properly dealt with.

“We will act rigorously with any officer who takes the law into his or her  own hands,” he said.