Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, the Minister of the Interior, has revealed that investigations into the violence surrounding the elections in 2020 and 2024 have shown that seven of the fifteen fatalities reported statewide were caused by police and military personnel.
On Tuesday, November 4, the Minister gave an update on the government’s investigation of cases of election violence and clarified that the incidents happened during security operations meant to restore order at various polling and collation centers.
“Investigation into one of the cases during the 2020 General Election at Odododiodio was completed. The Attorney-General is currently prosecuting three persons who are standing trial at the High Court, Criminal Division, Accra.
“The investigation established that three of the cases resulting in four deaths are traceable to the use of a firearm by armed police patrol teams. Military personnel were also found to be responsible for three of the cases resulting in the death of three persons when they intervened to restore calm to chaotic crowds,” he stated.
Mr. Muntaka clarified that the results were included in a more comprehensive report that was brought in by a Special Investigation Task Force that was established to look into any fatal incidents connected to the elections in 2020 and 2024.
To determine the circumstances of the fatalities, the task team examined police dockets, performed ballistic and forensic studies, and conducted field investigations.
He continued by saying that although political disputes between party members were responsible for some of the deaths, security agents’ involvement in a number of deaths could not be disregarded and would be dealt with legally.