Top Officers Accused Of Keeping Murder Secret

A secret military document intercepted by this reporter has revealed that the dossier prepared by senior military officers, which has since last year being relied upon by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu in the trial of three soldiers accused of killing Alhaji Issah Mobila in December 2004, whilst in military custody in Tamale, is bogus.

The revelation gives credence to claims within the Ghana Armed Forces that there were various attempts by the Military hierarchy then led by Lieutenant General J.B. Danquah, to cover up the murder and not to have the suspects put on trial.

The Herald learnt that one soldier – name withheld – was asked to leave the military so that arrangements would be made to secure him a juicer job abroad.

The Ghana Armed Forces explained that the investigation towards getting the killers was not properly done by its officers led by Lieutenant Colonel I. N Ayi Aryeetey, therefore, the whole investigation had to be redone by a new Military Board of Inquiry (BOI) now led by a much senior officer, Colonel H. N. A. Tagoe, onetime head of Military Intelligence.

The confidential document under the signature of Brigadier General M. Owusu-Ababio on the strict instructions of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General J.N. Adinkrah is dated May 15, 2009 and the new board was to submit its report on June 8, 2009 to the Army Headquarters in Burma Camp, Accra.

“It has been observed that the death of Alhaji Issah Mobila in 6Bn Guard Room was not thoroughly investigated. The purported BOI which was carried out was declared null and void by the General Officer Commanding Northern Command, and therefore, the BOI was not processed to reach the General Headquarters.”

“Consequently, a Board of Inquiry as composed below will assemble at the times and places convenient for the President of the Board for the purpose of thoroughly re-investigating the circumstances leading to the death of Alhaji Issah Mobila,” it stated.

Lt. Col. S. Attoh of the 37Miliatry Hospital, Warrant Office Class Two Gornu Williams of the 48 Engineer Regiment, Warrant Officer Class One Satu Alexander of the 64 Infantry Regiment and Major K. Amissah-Mensah constituted the Col. Tagoe-led probe whilst Lt. Col. Aryeetey’s probe, which had earlier investigated the circumstances leading to the arrest, detention and the murder, had Major. AY Nsiah, Dr. Fred Attipoe, Major J. Eshun and Lt. Col. Okine as members.

Deep throat sources at the military told The Herald that the Col. Tagoe-led probe has met Lt. Col. William Omane-Agyekum, WO1 Ebuh Paul, Sgt. Tayawn Thompson, Corporal Appiah Yaw, Private Modzaka Eric excerpt, Private Seth Goka who is presently on the run, and the trial is most likely to take an interesting course.

What is not clear is whether Corporal Philip Nuokyi who was earlier arrested and put in military custody with Seth Goka, Yaw Appiah over the murder but strangely replaced with Private Eric Modzaka (pictured), had also been questioned by the new board. Meanwhile, this paper has obtained a letter written by Private Eric Modzaka in which he appealed to the Ghana Armed Forces to “as a matter of urgency revisit this rather sad occurrence so that I can clear my name and conscience and the untold sufferings, pains and trauma I am in”.

The letter dated September 1, 2009 said he had mistakenly been placed under Military detention for almost two years and pleaded with the Military High Command to reach some top army officers and three civilian lawyers assigned to him by the military as those privy to the truth to have him cleared.

Private Modzaka mentioned LT. Col Ayitey (C.O A.B.F), LT. Col Nsiah Yeboah (CO 5BN), Major Okai (Legal), Major Siahow (3BN), Doctor Attipoe (6BN M.R.S), WO II Ebu, the duty officer (LAD detached), Sgt. Kofi Tayong, the duty sergeant (6BN), Cpl. Karim, duty driver (6BN), LT. Ahudey Eric (B.O.D) and lawyers and delegates who were sent by the Army HQ as well as Brigadier-General Anane Brobbey (Director-DI) and LT. Col. Fiankor (Legal Army HQ) as those who can vouch for his innocence.

He insists; “I was not within the premises of the guardroom when the deceased was brought into the guardroom, I never set eyes on the deceased even after he was alleged to have been brought into the guardroom, I didn’t know how the deceased managed to get himself into the guardroom, neither was I privy to any information pertaining to the deceased”.