The shooting to death of seven community members by the police in Manso Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region “amounts to execution” Dr Gideon Boako has said.

The spokesperson to the vice president said the killing of the seven men “was not the best” and chided the police for overreacting.

Speaking on Joy FM’s news analysis programe Newsfile Saturday Dr Boako was clear the killing was linked to an earlier shooting of two policemen, leading to the death of one of them.

On July 11, some armed robbers were said to have opened fire on two policemen who were occupants of a sprinter bus with registration AC-644-15. One died on the spot with the other sustaining serious injuries.

At least four other passengers also sustained injuries and were treated and discharged. The incident happened in Manso Nkwanta.

A crack team of police personnel was dispatched to the area to investigate the circumstances leading to the shooting and the killing of the policeman.

On July 18, the Ashanti Regional Police SWAT unit gunned seven men they claim were armed robbers and who had something to do with the shooting of the police man.

According to the Regional Police command, the suspects opened fire on them and they returned fire killing all seven.

Community members have however rejected the claims the deceased persons are armed robbers.

There have since been pockets of violence in what appears to be reprisals by the community members.

Discussing the matter on Newsfile, Dr Boako said the time difference between the shooting of the policeman and that of the supposed robbers should have given the police some time to reflect.

While he would not prejudice the investigation to be conducted by a newly constituted committee, the spokesperson to the vice president suspects there was some strategy which should not have led to the killing of seven people.

He welcomed the independent committee constituted by the government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings.