We have evil and wicked people among us – Dr. Bawumia

Ghana’s Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed utter shock that there are people in society who could commit such a dastardly act as perpetuated against Capt. Maxwell Adam Mahama.

The late soldier was killed in cold blood by a mob at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Central Region while jogging in the morning with his pistol on Monday.

The people claimed they suspected him to be an armed robber and therefore lynched him. Videos and pictures depicting the cruel manner the officer who was the detachment commander of troops on operational duties in the area was killed have gone viral.

There have been round condemnation of the despicable act. With a “heavy heart”, Vice President Dr. Bawumia was at the Arakan officers mess at Burma Camp in Accra together with some army chiefs and government officials to console the family of the late Captain Mahama on Wednesday.

Describing the demise of the soldier as a “very, very sad news”, the vice president said he “could not really believe it, I did not really think we have such evil amongst us, such wickedness amongst us as a people”.

He promised that the government will pursue the perpetrators “with all the might of the state” to ensure that justice is done. Sharing the pain of the family, he noted that God cannot be questioned at times on such issues because “from him we came and to him we will return”.

For now, all that Captain Mahama needs from us is prayers, he said. He said government will give him a befitting burial and do whatever is necessary for the family and the two kids that have been left behind.

He prayed that God gives the family patience to deal with the unfortunate incident and ask them to support each other in this difficult moment.

“What happened is dastardly, it’s painful, it’s evil, it’s wickedness.

Nobody can justify this act,” he said, adding that the government has taken note of comments made by the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Upper Denkyira West, Daniel Appianing which many considered unfortunate as he sought to justify the lynching of the soldier.

The Vice President who was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Defence Maj Derek Oduro (Retd), Deputy Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah and other government officials were received by the late Captain’s father, also a retired Captain, his wife Barbara, a number of chiefs from Bole.