Ashaiman Military Raid Victims March to Court for Compensation

Ashaiman residents who were mercilessly flogged and assaulted during a military raid in March 2023 have filed a lawsuit against the state, with a total of 237 victims seeking justice and compensation for injuries and destruction of property they say occurred during the operation.

The lawsuit, now before the high court, names the Ghana Armed Forces as the first defendant, the Ministry of Defence as the second, as well as the Attorney-General’s Department joining as the third defendant.

Lead lawyer for the victims, Emmanuel Kumadey, during a press briefing held on March 9, 2026, acknowledged that many of the affected residents have become frustrated due to the delay in resolving the matter.

“The wheels of justice grind slowly, but it gets to it destination. We do not have any option but to exercise patience and follow the full legal process laid down by the courts.

As humans as they are, they would have wished that as the incident happened, immediately there would have been some compensation to bring closure to the issue, so they felt a bit disappointed especially against the previous government,” he said.

Mr Kumadey said that although the victims had hoped the issue would have been resolved earlier, they remain confident that the legal process will eventually bring justice.

“This a civil action, the demands we have put before the court if the government comes and say they want to meet those demands we will sit down and discuss,” he added.

According to him, some of the victims sustained serious injuries during the military operation and had to seek medical treatment, with several spending days in hospital recovering from the injuries they suffered.

The residents claimed that the actions of soldiers who carried out the raid in Ashaiman on March 7, 2023, were unlawful and resulted in physical injuries, emotional distress and destruction of property belonging to several people in the affected communities.

The victims are asking the court to declare that the physical abuse and destruction of property during the military raid were unlawful.

They are also seeking compensation for medical expenses, property damage, lost money, and the pain, emotional distress and trauma they say they suffered. In addition, they want the court to order the dismissal of the soldiers involved and award legal costs based on the scale of the Ghana Bar Association.

 

Background

On March 7, 2023, soldiers carried out a dawn raid in parts of Ashaiman, including the communities of Tulaku and Ashaiman Taifa.

The operation followed the killing of a 21-year-old soldier, Imoro Sherrif, allegedly murdered by a mob at Ashaiman Taifa

The military exercise was intended to help security agencies apprehend suspects believed to be linked to the murder.

The Ashaiman neighbourhood of Taifa was forced into a self-imposed curfew after the raid.

However, several residents claimed they were beaten, harassed and subjected to other forms of abuse by the soldiers during the exercise.

The reports sparked widespread public concern and debate across the country, with many people calling for investigations into the conduct of the military personnel involved.

Following the incident, the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior of the Eighth Parliament launched an investigation into the matter.

After reviewing the circumstances surrounding the operation, the committee concluded that the actions of the military violated the fundamental rights of civilians.

The committee also described the level of force used against residents as excessive.

As part of its recommendations, the committee called for sanctions to be taken against officers involved in the operation.

It also recommended that victims should be compensated for the harm and damage they suffered during the exercise.

Three years after the controversial operation, the affected residents say they are still waiting for justice and accountability.