POLICE TO PROBE ALLEGATION OF MILITARY BRUTALITY (BACK PAGE, NOV 3)

THE Brong Ahafo Regional Police are investigating a case in which five military men, led by one Major Mezu, allegedly subjected three civilians to severe beatings at the Sunyani Magazine.
The victims were said to be undertaking a building project contracted to them when the incident occurred.
The soldiers, whose names are yet to be ascertained, allegedly stormed the project site in a military vehicle, while the said Major Mezu went there with his own saloon car, with registration number GT 7213-09.
They were also alleged to have ordered the victims, Philip Ofosu, a mason; Kwaku Adjei, supervisor, and Benjamin Kusi, the contractor, to lie down on their backs and look at the sun at about 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2009, while the military men continually kicked them mercilessly, resulting in bleeding from parts of the bodies of the victims.
A source close to the police who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Sunyani said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Brong Ahafo Regional Police had officially written to the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion of Infantry (3BN) to release the suspects for questioning.
According to the source, the military authorities had given the assurance that the suspects would be released today to assist in investigations.
The victims, who called at the Daily Graphic office in Sunyani to narrate their ordeal, indicated that they had been contracted to undertake a fence project around a building plot belonging to one Mr Charles Oduro about a month ago.
According to them, while they were at the site, one Mr Larweh, who was believed to be a relative of Major Mezu, approached them and ordered them to stop work immediately or he would call in the military to beat them up.
They alleged that when the said military officer and his men arrived, he also ordered them to stop work, but they refused and asked him to show a legal document backing his order.
The victims alleged that the soldiers then pounced on them and assaulted them mercilessly.
According to them, after they had satisfied themselves, the soldiers left in their vehicles, while they (the victims) called the land owner, who then reported the matter to the police.
The owner of the said plot told the Daily Graphic that the lease and other documents covering the acquisition of the plot were with him for the perusal of whoever wanted to do so.
Attempts to get the Commanding Officer at the Liberation Barracks, Lt Col Michael Amoah Ayisi, on his mobile phone proved futile.