Deputy Minister of Defence, Maj.Rtd. Derrick Oduro has refuted reports suggesting the soldier who condemned plans by Parliament to construct a new chamber is being maltreated while serving his time in the guardroom.

According to him, the soldier has not even been insulted let alone being assaulted or maltreated as the military is a disciplined institution.

There have been reports that Lance Corporal Lincoln Isaac Wassah of 2 Recce Squadron in Sunyani who has been stripped of his rank and sentenced to 90 days imprisonment with hard labour at the guardroom is being abused.

Lance Corporal Wassah was seen in a military uniform in the viral video supporting the social media campaign that eventually led to Parliament shelving plans to construct a new Chamber.

L/Cpl Wassah in the viral video warned President Akufo-Addo – the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces – not to support the construction of the new Parliamentary chamber expected to cost 200 million dollars.

According to him, there were more pressing issues that needed to be addressed instead of building a fanciful new Parliamentary Chamber.

Following the release of the video, L/Cpl Wassah was arrested by the Military High Command for interrogation.

But in reaction during an interview on Kasapa FM, Maj. Rtd. Oduro said  although L/Cpl Wassah’s freedom has been curtailed, he’s being treated well in the guardroom which condition is far better than a prison.

“The army guardroom is not like a prison where you have all sorts of insects biting you. The law does not work in prison, but that is not the case in any military establishment as it is a disciplined institution. The soldier has been confined for his crime and he’ll later have an opportunity to serve in the army again.

“Anybody who claims the soldier has been given bad treatment in the guard room is not saying the truth. He’s being guarded by his own colleague soldiers, his rank mate served on the disciplinary board which tried him. That is the way things are done in the military no one is unfairly treated and so whoever says the soldier has been kept at a bad place does not know what he or she is saying. He’s sleeping on a mattress and is doing well.,” Maj. Rtd Oduro added.