I would not have forgiven Sergeant Twumasi

An ex-police officer has told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that he had nursed so much pain, anger and hatred for one Army Sergeant Twumasi that if he had by chance met him anywhere, he would not have forgiven him.

Ex-Inspector Kofi Antwi said the soldier publicly flogged him, the wife and some other people at the Tamale taxi rank in June 1979.

He stated that the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Sergeant Twumasi and a group of soldiers then at the Kamina Barracks, compelled him to voluntarily retire from the Police Service in August 1980.

He was testifying before the Commission on the second week of its public hearing at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Kumasi on Monday.

Ex-Inspector Antwi noted that the Police Service was a respectable institution and for a police officer to be cruelly caned in the full glare of children and adults, was something he "found very embarrassing".

Narrating the incident to the Commission, he said, his wife with whom he was staying at the Tamale police barracks started trading in textiles in 1972.

She used to receive her supplies from the UAC and the GNTC Department Stores in Tamale.

Ex-Police Inspector Antwi said on June 14, 1979, the then Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr C.O. Lamptey telephoned him to come down to Accra.

He therefore, set off but when he reached Kumasi he had information that some soldiers had invaded his quarters and collected textiles, calico, school khaki and other materials the wife was selling.

He said he decided to immediately return to Tamale and met an empty house on his return as the wife and children had fled into hiding.

Ex-Inspector Antwi told the Commission that he reported himself to the Kamina barracks where he was detained in guardroom by Sergeant Twumasi, who led the soldiers to seize his wife's goods.

He said whilst there, he was taken to see one Major, who after listening to his case said he did not see his offence but Sergeant Twumasi would not agree and insisted that, "my wife was engaged in hoarding".

He pointed out that whilst in detention, his wife was also brought there, tortured and detained.

The soldiers later took her to town and auctioned all her goods and realised 48,000 cedis, which they paid into AFRC Account Number 48 at the Ghana Commercial Bank.

Ex-Inspector Antwi said after the auction sales, they bundled him, the wife and other "revolutionary offenders" into a military truck and sent to the Tamale taxi rank where they laid them on tables and gave each of them 24 strokes of the cane.

The soldiers, he said, later brought them back to the barracks for continued detention.

The new born baby the wife was nursing whilst in military custody became sick and had convulsion and received treatment at the Kamina hospital.

He said their eldest daughter, who was at the Tamale Secondary School (TAMASCO) collapsed from the shock of the treatment meted out to them.

Ex-Inspector Antwi said the wife was then released to go and take care of the sick children.

He said he spent 47 days in military detention and regained his freedom based on the instruction of a three-member military screening team composed of one Captain Kukumba, WO 1 Adjei-Boadi and another soldier.

He pleaded with the Commission to assist them get back the 48,000 cedis realised from the auction sales that was lodged in the AFRC Account Number 48 at the Tamale Commercial Bank

Ex-Inspector Antwi admitted that he was more than relieved for having had the opportunity to tell the story of his torture.

His wife, Madam Afua Serwaah, who also mounted the witness box corroborated the narration of the husband.

She said the brutal torture and kicking of her waist with boots by the soldiers affected her womb and had to undergo surgical operation.

Mr Noah de-Santos Aggrey, a farmer, told the commission that he was arrested, severely beaten and detained for 30 days by soldiers and Swedru police in 1984.

He said he was at different periods punched, kicked and slapped at the Swedru police station and Gondar barracks.

His Peugeot car was also seized by Police Sergeant Kofi Nkansah, the Police CDR chairman at Swedru, who damaged the engine following an accident.

Mr. Aggrey said some soldiers had gone to Swedru to swindle a Zabrama man, one Arabia of 65,000 CFA.

He said he was arrested by the police for having given the soldiers a "lift" from a restaurant in the town to a point near the lorry terminal.

Police Sergeant Nkansah, according to the witness, sent him in a police Jeep to the Gondar barracks and asked "the soldiers to beat me to death".

He said eight soldiers at the barracks severely tortured him and at a point told "Lance Corporal Ceasar to see me off".

Mr Aggrey said he was saved by one Corporal Eduaful who happened to be his mate in school and was later transferred to the airport police station.

Here he met a suspect in police cells who after listening to his case told him he knew the names of the soldiers who went to Swedru to swindle the Zabrama man and went ahead to give their names.

Witness said he consequently asked the police to take him to the office of Major Courage Quashigah and said after telling his story, he was taken to the 37 Military Hospital where the swindlers were working.

He said the soldiers, Corporal Darbo and Corporal Francis, the culprits openly confessed to the crime when Major Bankas, the then administrator of the Military Hospital sent for them.

Mr Aggrey said the soldiers and himself were taken to the Swedru police station where they were all detained.

"Even after the soldiers had been granted bail and promised to refund the money they took away from Arabia, I was still kept in detention".

He said, he was later released and was never charged with any offence.

Two other witnesses, who suffered military brutalities following the disturbances at the 'The Lord Is My Shepherd Church' in February 1982, also testified.

They were Madam Yaa Nyarko, a farmer and Mr Kwaku Nyame, a carpenter.

Madam Nyarko recounted how she was mercilessly beaten by soldiers as blood oozed freely from the ears.

"They also mixed dust with gari and ordered us to eat".

She said the sight of soldiers scared her so much so that when she saw a uniformed soldier whilst undergoing medical treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, she collapsed.

Madam Nyarko, who said she now suffers from hypertension and severe waist pains, wants the state to assist her get on with her life.

Mr. Nyame also said soldiers used hammer to hit his chest and tied him to a military truck and pulled him along for about 50 metres.

Sitting continues on Tuesday.