The family of a police officer, Lance Corporal Mohamed Awal, who was allegedly gunned down by a man in Gomoa Buduburam in the Central Region, is demanding stiffer punishment for the killers.

A cousin to the deceased, Abdul Fataw who speaks for the family complained about the punishment slapped on persons who commit crimes like murder. He believes the current disciplinary system is too lenient.

“Sometimes we feel that the punishment meted to people committing such kind of crime is not proportionate to the cost of problems they are causing by that action; like the way they brought my brother down," he said.

In his view, those who take the lives of others should be subjected to equal punishment to serve as a deterrent.

Lance Corporal Mohamed Awal and his colleague, Sgt. Michael Dzamesi were shot and killed while on motor traffic duty, last week Wednesday.

Body of late L/CPL Awal  en route to funeral ground, Abuakwa R/C School Park

The late Mohammed Awal is known for his charitable works in the Abuakwa Zongo community in the Ashanti region, where he hails from.

He is said to have single-handedly contributed GH10,000 into education fund set up for needy but brilliant students in the community. 

He is on record to have distributed education materials, including mathematical sets to BECE candidates and also paid school fees of some needy students himself.

Dr. Bawumia (5th from right ) at the funeral

Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia who also chairs the Police Council, described the late Awal and his colleague Sergeant Dzamesi as gallant but hard-working officers.

”Sergeant Michael Dzamesie and L/CPL Awal Mohammed have been two hardworking officers who discharged their duties creditably in the interest of the nation and should therefore not suffer this unfortunate fate. These gallant men will forever be remembered for their acts of sacrifice for the nation,” Dr. Bawumia stated at the burial service.

Meanwhile, the Kaneshie District Court has remanded seven suspects arrested in connection with the killing of two police officers.

The seven, Eric Kojo Duah, Ibrahim Zakariah, Isaac Mensah, Obletey Commey Victor Yire and Fatawu Ahmed who appeared in court on Monday have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, abetment of murder and murder. The presiding judge of the Kaneshie District Court, Justice Rosemond Dodua Agyiri remanded them into police custody. Eric Kojo Duah, Ibrahim Zakariah and Isaac Mensah will be kept in a BNI cell while Obletey Commey, Victor Yire and Fatawu Ahmed will be kept in a police facility in Osu, Accra. The seven who had no legal representation are to reappear in court on September 26.