There was drama at the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on Tuesday when a witness failed to identify a former military officer whom he claimed had ordered his detention in 1982.
During cross examination, Counsel for Brigadier (rtd) Francis Asiedu Agyemfra, asked Mr Oppong Agyare to identify the former military officer but he failed to do so.
Brigadier Agyemfra was, however, sitting only a few metres away from him. Mr Agyare had earlier claimed that he identified Brigadier Agyemfra by his nametag and the title on his table when he was sent to his office at the Fifth Battalion of Infantry at Burma Camp on August 22, 1982.
However, when Mr Seth Matanawui, counsel for Brigadier Agyemfra asked him to point him out, Mr Agyare replied: "This is a trick. (...) I cannot." However, he insisted that he knew Brigadier Agyemfra who, he claimed, ordered that he was put in the guardroom.
Mr Agyare said he was so poor that he borrowed the navy blue long sleeved shirt and trousers that he wore to the Commission and prayed the Commission to give him 10,000 cedis for his transport fare back home.
Brigadier Agyemfra in his evidence said in 1982 he was at the Army Headquarters. He was moved to the Ministry of Agriculture in 1984 and had nothing to do with military arrests, detentions, investigations and releases. He expressed his anger to the Commission and said Mr Agyare's evidence was false and malicious.
Brigadier Agyemfra asked the Commission to pursue the matter until the truth was established. "I will then demand an unqualified apology to myself and the Commission." He said Mr Agyare's had embarrassed him and damaged his reputation.
The Commission appealed to Brigadier Agyemfra to tone down his anger and his counsel promised he would help. Mr Matanawui, however, cautioned people who give evidence at the Comission to be wary about what they say about other people because the NRC Act has provisions for sanctions on perjury.
Madam Jacqueline Acquaye, alias Ama Akuffo, said Lt Col Benjamin Freeman Kusi, whom she had mentioned in her evidence never took part in torturing her when she was arrested after the June 4 1979 Military Uprising.
She said Kusi rather shouted on his men to stop manhandling her at the Peduase Lodge, and later drove her to the Recce Regiment and handed her to the Five BN. She said she could not tell if she ever heard him ordering anyone to torture her.
In his evidence, Lt Col.Kusi said he was at the Field Engineer Regiment and was ordered to guard former heads of state General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and General Frederick Akuffo on the day of the coup.
Lt. Col. Kusi said a day later he heard of the arrest of Jacqueline who was taken to the Akropong Police Station. When he met her the following day at the Peduase Lodge, he told her she would be taken to the Five BN.
He said all that he did was to protect Jacqueline and apologised to her if she underwent any torture from the military personnel under him. Kusi said the next time he met Jacqueline was between 1994 and 1995. He was then second in command of the Michel Camp and Jacqueline was looking for evidence to redeem her confiscated bags of flour and other baking materials.
He said she asked him to pay for the flour, but told her it was the duty of government and he offered her some money for transport as she complained of being a widow out of business facing financial hardship.
Kusi said he felt very bad about a newspaper report on Jacqueline's evidence, which, he said, imputed that he had not acted with decency when she was arrested and prayed that something must be done to repair his damaged image.
Commission Chairman Justice Kweku Amua-Sekyi said the Commission was bound by its transcript and not responsible for what the newspapers published. He, however, assured Lt Col Kusi the issue would be referred to the Commission's Executive Secretary.
Another witness, Madam Afi Dzamesi Madonunawo from Dodze in the Volta Region said a consignment of 800 bags of sugar and 25 cartons of yeast she imported form Lome, Togo, was seized at the Dzodze Junction by one W O Akakpo, Major Ameyibor and one Gbemu.
She said the soldiers asked her to surrender her import papers and threatened the policeman who was supervising the transfer of the goods to her village where she had the brewery.
Madam Dzamesi said the policeman fled and Akakpo hit her with the butt of the gun. She said she fell and when she was about get up Gbemu slapped her and she fell against the articulated truck carrying the consignment. She said they then took her to the Ho Barracks, made to kneel on a bench and whipped her. She said they then made her sit on the floor and threatened to shoot her if she dared get up. She said she slept there overnight and was taken to an officer the next day.
Madam Dzamesi said the soldiers then sent their vehicle to the village, Avekope, to collect the sugar that had already been sent to the village to the barracks. She said she was released on the third day.
She said her efforts to get her seized items back were not successful adding that the beating had made her hypertensive. She said she still feels the pains of the beatings. She said the education of her children also suffered. Her son, Albert Kobla Avinu, who said he came to her mother's rescue and Mr Godwin Cudjoe Avogbedoh said to be the driver conveying the sugar from the articulated truck to Avekope, both confirmed the story.
Avogbedoh stressed on forgiveness from all victims of human rights abuses in Ghana's history.
Major Ameyibor mentioned in Madam Dzamesi evidence said he was the second in command of the Ho Mortar Regiment and denied taking part in any arrest and beatings as alleged.
