Hit with sticks, blood oozing out of ears and mouth - IK Acheampong's aide details how he was tortured by Rawlings's soldiers

The year 1979 remains one of the most notable years in Ghana’s socio-political history, with a myriad of activities happening that year.

One of the significant events, if not the most significant development, was the execution of the military generals by the then head of state, Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, and his team of soldiers.

In 1979, General I.K. Acheampong, Major General E.K. Utuka, Rear Admiral Joy K. Amedume, Major General Kotei, General F.W.K. Akuffo, Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye, Lt. Gen. Akwasi Amankwa Afrifa, and Col. Roger J. Felli were summarily executed by firing squad at the Teshie Shooting Range in Accra amidst chants of 'Let the blood flow' by some disgruntled Ghanaians.

While the story of the execution of the generals has been well told to serve as a caution against military governance in the country, the stories of how some persons close to them were either killed, tortured, or made to flee the country are not well known to the public.

From the stories of Captain Budu Koomson (rtd), Captain Emmanuel Opoku (rtd), and a host of high-ranking military officials of the time, it can be deduced that the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council led by Jerry John Rawlings left no stone unturned in their bid to seek what they claimed to be justice for the people of Ghana.

Major Patrick Adjei-Ampofo (rtd), who was a military aide to General I.K. Acheampong, has detailed the ordeal he went through at the hands of military officers of the AFRC.

In an interview with YouTuber David Verse Journey, Major Patrick Adjei-Ampofo (rtd) disclosed that he was tortured multiple times and there were times when blood oozed out of his ears, nostrils, and mouth.

“They took me down there and beat me mercilessly. They beat me with sticks and weapons, and I thought I was going to die. After they were done with me, they took me to the Air Force guard room, dumped me outside, and left. I collected myself and went back to the guard room.

“The generals were in a bigger room and were eating. When I got there, they all stopped eating and asked me to go look at myself in the mirror. I went to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and was frightened. I didn’t look anything like myself. My face was all swollen, and you could see a little bit of my nose. There was blood flowing from my nose, ears, and mouth. I was in severe pain.

“The following day, they came for me again and hit me in the same place. They sat me on a dinner table, lined up behind me, and everyone took a turn to beat me. I was seeing stars. I went there five times. They beat me really well because they said I had a relative whose wife was Russian and had houses in Tema,” he said.

Watch the video below:



EK