Lt. Col. Agyeman could still face punishment after appointment to Armed Forces top job – CDD hints

CDD-Ghana’s Team Lead for Security Sector Governance, Nana Kwabena Abrampa Mensah, has hinted that Lt. Col. Frank Agyeman could still be under investigations at the Ghana Armed Forces even after his appointment as the commanding officer of the 64-infantry regiment.

Nana Kwabena added that if found guilty of any offence, Lt. Col. Agyeman could face punishment even though he has been elevated to a higher position in the army.

His comments come after some Ghanaians expressed surprise at Lt. Col. Agyeman receiving the top military appointment after he was relieved of his position as National Security Director of Operations on May 20, due to his alleged role in the assault against Citi FM journalist Caleb Kudah.

The Senior Programmes Officer at CDD in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show said “I have made few enquiries and what has been made clear is that every institution has its own disciplinary processes, depending on the gravity of your offence you are either interdicted for investigations to ascertain the right discipline to be meted out to you. In some cases, like the armed forces, you are allowed to carry on with your work if your action was not so serious and even If you get promoted, you might face punishment after the investigations are conducted. That is the brief I got.”

Mr. Abrampa was, however, of the view that as was done at the National Security Ministry, the Ghana Armed Forces should have communicated “to let the public know the steps they have taken to address the issue” rather than creating doubts in the minds of Ghanaians.

“If you look at the release by the National Security Ministry, it indirectly gives a further request to the Ghana Armed forces and the Ghana Police Service to make further investigations into the actions of the said personnel. But if after this, the request is neglected and the person at the centre of affairs has been lifted to a higher position, this could create doubts in the minds of Ghanaians with some questioning whether he’s been rewarded for his previous actions,” he added.

The Director of Operations for the National Security Ministry, whose secondment was reversed after preliminary investigations into the assault on Caleb Kudah of Citi FM, has been given another top job in the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

Lt. Col. Frank Agyeman has been reappointed as GAF’s Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment.