Brigadier George Ayiku, General Officer Commanding Northern Command, has declared that the army would not shield Corporal Godwin Adekpui the soldier alleged to have assaulted some civilians and raped a young woman at Bawku during curfew hours, against criminal prosecution.

He said the Ghana Armed Forces had no place for indiscipline soldiers and mentioned that military laws and those of the country would be rigidly enforced at all times to ensure justice and fair play.

Brigadier Ayiku was addressing a press conference at the Command Headquarters in Kumasi on Monday, to throw light on how the case involving Corporal Adekpui was being handled.

He stated that the Military had done everything possible to co-operate with the police to dispose of the case expeditiously and that the Armed Forces remained committed to justice.

The General Officer Commanding said the delay in prosecuting Corporal Adekpui in a civil court was not caused by the military, pointing out that, following his arrest the police prepared a docket on the case.

He mentioned that a duplicate of the document was submitted to the Attorney -General for advice and was yet to be received. Brigaider Ayiku said rape; armed robbery and murder were criminal offences that by law could not be tried by the military.

He said apart from the alleged offences of assault and rape committed by, Corporal Adekpui the suspect had also breached the military code of service discipline. These included absenting himself without leave, going to town without authority, breaking curfew whilst not on duty and going to town in conflict area illegally.

For these offences, Corporal Adekpui would be tried by his Commanding Officer, Brigaider Ayiku said, adding, "this, however, is not prejudicial to any action to be taken by the police or civil authority".

Corporal Adekpui is currently being held by the military in the guardroom of his unit, the Airborne Force in Tamale, pending trial under the code of service discipline for the service-related offences and if found guilty would be punished. Brigadier Ayiku said the suspect would remain in custody in the unit and handed over to the police for civil trial as and when required.

Corporal Adekpui, who was part of the peacekeeping task force deployed in Bawku following the recent communal violence, was alleged to have assaulted some civilians and raped a young woman during curfew hours on December 31, 2001.