A prominent criminologist has expressed deep disappointment and alarm at how the charred remains of eight victims of a military helicopter crash were handled, calling the use of cocoa sacks to preserve the bodies a “disrespectful” and unprofessional breach of international protocols.
Dr. Jones Opoku Ware, a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), told Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Nyankonton Mu Nsem that the actions of authorities fell far short of global standards for managing such tragedies.
“When I saw the videos, I was sad because all over the world, when aeroplanes or helicopters crash, there are strict protocols that are followed to retrieve the bodies,” Dr. Opoku Ware explained.
“No matter where the crash occurred—whether in the mountains or in the sea—we have protocols that must be observed.”
He stressed that he expected authorities to have secured the crash site and used appropriate methods for retrieving the remains, rather than the “terrible manner” in which these “noble men” were treated.
“These were men of noble standing,” the criminologist lamented. “In some jurisdictions, the death of a Defence Minister would be a national security issue. I felt so sad that these noble men who served their country with dignity were treated in this terrible manner. It was unfortunate. We have to have some level of shame on issues like this. As a criminologist, I have some level of understanding on how the remains of such victims ought to be treated.”
Dr. Opoku Ware also criticised the Ghana Armed Forces for their management of the crash scene, arguing that it should have been preserved for investigation.
“When issues like this occur in other countries, the crash scenes are preserved,” he said. “When you look at how the residents rushed to the scene—although they wanted to help—the scene should have been preserved for investigation and analysis. That is what I was expecting.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
