The Economic Fighters League has expressed concern over government’s doling out of funds to the families of the victims of the Ejura shooting.

According to the EFL, “the extrajudicial monetary compensation serves to indemnify the state of its culpability in the murder of Kaaka and the #JusticeForKaaka Youth.”

In a statement registering their concern, the League stated that in order for justice to be truly served, any form of compensation from the government must be sanctioned by the judiciary, “and not by officials of the Executive under whose command these lives were taken.”

“History has shown that extrajudicial compensation most often serves as indemnification for the state perpetrators of injustice. Any effort to obtain justice by punishment of the offenders by the families of the murdered youth will now be curtailed, as was seen with the case of the Zongo Seven,” EFL added.

The EFL further expressed concern at the “apparent disinterest” of the Attorney-General in bringing the officers involved in the shootout to book.

The EFL noted that the exclusion of Kaaka’s family from the said disbursement of funds serves as further evidence of extrajudicial compensation.

“Evidence on record shows that Nasiru Yussif and Murtala Mohammed were murdered by the Ghanaian military on the orders of the state while the youth were returning from Kaaka’s funeral in June, 2021.

“Another, Awal Misbawu, was badly injured and would eventually lose his leg. Their families have been subjected to indescribable pain, for which compensation - in as much as it will not bring loved ones back to life or lessen the trauma suffered - is in due order,” it stated.

“The Kaaka family has equally suffered; in fact they have arguably suffered more. In an effort to absolve themselves of blame, the state in 2021 chose to further perpetuate oppression and violence on them by arresting and charging Kaaka’s brother Iddi Mohammed with his murder.

“As we speak Iddi remains under remand, falsely accused of a murder which evidence has shown to have been politically motivated,” it added.

The decision not to compensate Kaaka’s family, the EFL indicated, positions the state as a facilitator of injustice by dismissing “the nature of the events that led to his murder, remanded his brother on false charges and is now denying the family compensation. His killers walk free.”

“This is exactly why such processes must only be conducted and pronounced upon by our administrators of justice - the Judiciary. Justice for Kaaka has yet again been denied,” EFL stated.

“It must be stated that monetary compensation can not be taken to be a substitute for justice for Kaaka, Murtala, Nasiru and Awal; nor can it be taken to be a substitute or payment for the freedom of the state actors who perpetrated the dastardly acts,” it said.