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Members of the family of Kaaka, the social media activist allegedly killed on Monday, June 28, after being attacked by unknown assailants at Ejura in the Ashanti region, have expressed disappointment in the 55-page report released by the three-member committee that probed the Ejura disturbances.

According to the family, they are baffled that the committee as part of its recommendations, noted that the death of Kaaka was not directly linked to his social media activism and that it was more probably a family feud.

“We will like to use this opportunity to state in clear and unambiguous terms, that the statement by the Committee that Kaaka was probably killed because of a family feud is obviously false, carelessly made, and very clearly disgraceful,” they said in a statemen on issued on Monday, October 24.

Investigations into death

They explained that the Ejura Committee, by their own admission, had no mandate to investigate or establish why Kaaka was killed.

They said the committee clearly reiterated that it had no business looking into the death of Kaaka, when Sahada Hudu, Kaaka's widow inquired about the mandate of the committee when she appeared before it. 

"The Committee still went ahead and made 40 per cent of their findings about the murder investigations into the death of Kaaka,” they said.

Ejura videos

Further reacting to the committee's report, the family explained that the committee had suggested that videos submitted to them by a certain Abeewakas, did not contain threats to Kaaka’s life and that the videos appeared after Kaaka’s death.

According to the family, the committee claimed that it was for these reasons it doubted the authenticity of the videos, and wondered how it concluded categorically that Kaaka’s death was not directly linked to his social media activism.

“What is curious is that a Committee which was sold to the public as a fact finding committee made no attempt to actually find out any facts of its own. Even though they received several witness statements that made reference to Kaaka’s role as a social media activist, they did not even try to take a look at Kaaka’s social media activism. How was it possible for the Committee to make 40 per cent of your findings about the death of a social media activist, and yet not even take the trouble to google the individual or go through his social media feed? they questioned.

Next step

The family said they will make a formal police complaint regarding an allegation of bribery and corruption against the mother of Kaaka and the Ejura Police, as well as a complaint against two other women for deliberate lies and attempts to deceive the police in the performance of their functions.

The family said they will also petition the Inspector-General of Police regarding their displeasure with the investigations into Kaaka’s murder.

“We are also asking for the support of the public towards the welfare needs of Kaaka’s widow and five children who have been left behind; as well as to support our fight for justice. We would appreciate any help towards covering our legal fees, in this quest for justice.

“We hope that a fund will be established to honour Kaaka and to train upcoming citizen journalists, who understand the virtue of speaking truth to the establishment. We have made an appeal to the National Chief Imam to support us in this endeavour,” they added.

Background

On Tuesday, June 29, 2021, two people were shot dead and four others sustained gunshot wounds when the youth of Ejura clashed with security personnel detailed to ensure peace and order following an attempted demonstration by the youth the previous evening.

The deceased were Abdul Nasir Yussif and Muntala Mohammed.

Macho Kaaka had been attacked on Saturday dawn by unknown assailants who laid ambush for him in front of his house at Dagomba Line, a suburb of Ejura.

The assailants inflicted wounds on Kaaka and left him in a pool of his blood and fled the scene. He was rushed to the Ejura Government Hospital but later referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he died on Monday, June 28, 2021.

Following the news of his death, the youth of Ejura went on a demonstration to demand justice. The police, with the assistance of the military, managed to quell the demonstration.

However, on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, on their return from the burial of Kaaka, the youth were alleged to have started agitations in protest of Kaaka's death.

The subsequent deaths and injuries were recorded in the course of the confrontation that ensued between the youth and the security personnel.