Lack of NRC translator delays hearings

Accra, Feb 6, GNA - Hearings at the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) were on Friday delayed for almost 25 minutes due to a search of a Dangbe language translator.

All the 17 Witnesses, who testified on Friday, spoke the Dangbe Language but there initially was no translator for them.


The Chairman, Mr Jutsice Kweku Amuah Sekyi asked for a brief recess and announced that he had requested for arrangements to be made to bring in a translator from the Circuit Courts.


The NRC permanent translator, Mr Nat Karkari, a polyglot, who could speak at least Hausa, Ewe, Ga, Fanti, Twi and Dangbe had been reported indisposed since Tuesday.


Mr Abdullah Ayub had since tood in for Mr Karikari, doing the translation for Witnesses in the Twi and Fanti, but not Dangbe. It was a relief when after almost 25 minutes later Mr Robert Akpanyo, arrived and held the fort.


He did the translation for the 17 Witnesses from the Dangbeland, whose complaints ranged from a miscarriage and deformity from stray bullets, chieftaincy issues and troubles they had had with unconstitutional regimes on mining, and dealing in salt, "the white gold" of the Ada land.

When the Chairman, a former Supreme Judge, announced a short break, Mr Akpanyo, evidently from a Circuit Court shouted as Commissioners rose: "Court rise!"

Witnesses testify before NRC

Accra, Feb 6, GNA - At least, 17 alleged victims of human rights abuses, from some communities in the Ada Traditional Area on Friday testified before the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), their complaints ranging suffering from gunshots to burning of salt they had heaped. The Witnesses, including two old women, were from Matsekope, Wakpo, Bonikope, Songornya and Okunmlekuse, complained of the incident that happened in the 1970's and others about 20 years ago.


They were not specific of the dates. One of the Witnesses, Madam Amakwor Anim, who said she was then pregnant, when the incident happened about 20 years ago, complained that she was hit by stray bullet in the elbow when she had gone to visit a friend at Songornya.


She said her friend died instantly, and she (Madam Anim) had a miscarriage after she had gone for a D and C operation as result of shock from gunshot. She said she had two children before the incident and had not been able to have any child since.


Witness said the Police accepted responsibility for the shooting, which even attracted the attention of then Head of State, but she had not in any way been compensated for her injury.


Madam Awoyo Pupulampu, a Witness from Wakpo, said she was accused of illegally mining salt, arrested by some four people at a salt pond at Bonikope and given handfuls of salt to chew.

The four men took her to an office at Songornya and made her to drink brine, some water, after which she was beaten, with some sticks with nails running through them.


She said she was also made to carry a bag of cement and jumped, but a gentleman restrained four men and they stopped manhandling her. Madam Puplampu said the men took her 20 bags of salt away, and added that each of the bags cost 900 cedis at that time. Another Witness, Mr Daniel Akli, said in 1974, a number of people were arrested from Bonikope on the account of having taken part in the killing of a watchman in the village.


He said they were taken to Community One Police Station in Tema and detained for three days after which 16 including himself were later identified.


The Witness said he denied complicity, but was kept on remand for three years before he was acquitted and discharged.


Other Witnesses from the town testified to that effect.

There were complaints from other Witness, that one Appenteng, who owned a salt pond organised some soldiers to burn thousands of bags of salt they had heaped at Okonmeleku in 1982.


Mr Benjamin Ofotsu Apronti, from Matsekope said he was part of another group of 16, arrested in 1982 by soldier without any charge. He said they were taken to Burma Camp and given a military drill and detained in a guardroom.


All the Witnesses prayed the Commission for assistance for re-establishment or compensation.