Soldiers seized my fish - Woman to NRC

Ho, Jan 23, GNA - Madam Agnes Adukonu, who lives at Dzokpe-New Town, told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) at its sitting at Ho on Thursday that soldiers at Dambia seized a quantity of fish she was sending to Somanya market for sale during the June 4, 1979 uprising. The woman said the soldiers used the butt of their guns to hit her waist when she protested against their action and said though the fish was sold at reduced price, proceeds were not given to her.

Mr William Dusu, a hardware storekeeper at Kpando, told the Commission that after he had an argument with one Mr Agyeman, then District Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council over the sale of his (Dusu) girlfriend's kenkey at reduced price he was arrested by soldiers at a chop bar in the town.


He said the soldiers led by one Warrant Officer Class Two Opoku Acheampong beat him mercilessly, poured water on him and forced him to climb 24 steps to the residence of the former colonial administrator on his knees.


Mr Dusu said as he climbed the steps he was beaten and pushed down the stairs and was asked to climb again. Mr Dusu said he was taken to the Ho township and subjected to further beatings in front of his father's hardware store while a large crowd watched.


He said the soldiers also stripped his brother naked to his pants and subjected him to molestations for daring to inquire about what he (Desu) had done.


Mr Dusu said the soldiers asked him and his brother to slap their father but they refused and were further beaten and detained at the Volta Barracks in Ho and were released on the intervention of a Major Johnny Ameyibor.


Mr Dusu said while in detention they cooperated with the military authorities to arrest WO II Opoku Acheampong who had persistently harassed their father and asked him to give him (WO II Opuku) some money as condition for their release.

Mr Emmanuel Kodzo Dusu, one-time Treasurer of the erstwhile Progress Party (PP) who is Dusu's father, would appear before the NRC over his detention after the overthrow of the Busia regime in 1972 as a result of which his business was put into disarray.


Mr Augustine Kwesi Ketorwoko, a farmer and cattle keeper at Mamfe-Akyemfo in the North-Tongu District, said he was arrested and put into a car boot with one other person and driven to Gondar Barracks in Accra soon after the December 31 coup.


He said he could not fight Victor Gomelesio, a soldier and police Sergeant Garbla, his captors because they wielded guns.


Mr Ketorwoko said they brought him to Cantonments and told him that ex-President J.J. Rawlings wanted to see him but he never met Rawlings. Mr Ketorwoko said he was later detained at James Fort Prisons for about three months before being released.


He said he developed a stiff neck as a result of his ordeal and could not move about without the aid of a walking stick. Mr Ketorwoko said while he was in detention he lost his cattle goats and sheep.