Ghana's Deputy Defence Minister Kofi Amankwa-Manu has apologised for military excesses after soldiers were deployed in the early hours Tuesday at Ashaiman, a suburb of Accra.
The deployment followed the killing of a young soldier Imoro Sheriff, 21, allegedly stabbed to death by unknown assailants in the area.
The soldiers indiscriminately beat up residents of Ashaiman to revenge the killing of a colleague.
READ ALSO: Video: Soldiers beat up Ashiaman residents after alleged killing of soldier
"If decent, innocent residents of Ashaiman were caught up in these operations, I, in my capacity as deputy defence minister, I apologise for that, " Mr Amankwa-Manu said in an interview on Joy News.
"It is only proper that we admit when there are excesses in operations of this nature. But we are not going to apologise for [undertaking] the operations."
Mr Amankwa-Manu said the operation was sanctioned by the military high command “to bring to book the perpetrators of this heinous crime”.
It is said about 72 people were arrested in the operation.