Witness tells NRC about killing of father

Accra, April 27, GNA - Mr Eric Elikplim Dzakpasu, a Carpenter at Dzodze in the Volta Region, was very bitter as he gave evidence to the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) on the circumstances leading to the death of his father, Patrick Kodzo Dzakpasu in June 1983.

He prayed the Commission to invite one Mr Christian Sokpoli, a border guard, who he said is currently at Agbozume, to explain to the whole nation why he had to kill his father.


Mr Dzakpasu also prayed the Commission, to recommend a compensation for him, his siblings and his grandmother.


Witness said his father, Sports Organiser at the then Dzodze Middle "B" School was taking his pupils to a sports competition at Agbozume, but the said Sokpoli, stopped their vehicle at Kpoglo.


He said information he had from one of the school pupils indicated that the border guard took offence, hit the groin of his father with the gun when he asked him to allow him to go because they were getting late to the sports ground.


Witness said his father was rushed to a clinic at Agbozume, but his condition deteriorated, and he was referred to the St Anthony Hospital but died the following day, adding that an autopsy revealed that his father died of internal bleeding.

Mr Dzakpasu said the family reported the case to the Denu Police, after which Sokpoli was arrested but released and later transferred to another station.


Witness said his grandmother had to cater for him and his siblings. He added that his grandmother lost her capital, and his education, as well as that of his siblings suffered as a result of the loss of his father.


Another Witness, Mr. Eben Bentum Takyi-Micah, resident at South La Estate, said one Mary Teye, a soldier came to a jewellery shop, the Fanti Jewellery Shop in Accra, and seized two chains and two pendants and arrested the shop assistant in 1979 after the June 4 uprising.


Mr Takyi-Micah said Mary Teye gave the assistant 350 cedis rather than the right amount of 1,500 cedis, and forced the assistant to issue a receipt to the effect that it was the full payment for the jewelleries. Witness said, he was part owner of the shop, and when a report was made to him, he and the owner Mr Fouez Sari located Mary Teye at a Military Police Post at the Cantonments in Accra.


Witness said he upon located the soldier at the Military Police Post, her officer, Captain Baba rebuked Mary for her conduct and asked for the return of the jewelleries, and Micah returned her money to her.

Mr Takyi- Micah said Mary returned the jewellery minus one pendant, and when he complained Capt. Baba asked him to go to court. He said Capt Baba later came to him that the Army was blaming him for helping him retrieve the items.


Witness said in 1982 after the December 31 1981 coup, Mary Teye was again in the jewellery shop, and removed jewellery on display into polythene bag and took it away.


He said she then, with the other soldiers arrested his nephew one, Kwasi Owusu at gunpoint and brought him to his house.


He said they brought him with bloodstains on his body to his house in the night, and bundled him into their vehicle to the Cantonments Police Station and was made to sit awake till the next morning.


He said he was then put before a police officer and was accused of being the real shop owner and selling above controlled price and being a disgruntled politician even though he had nothing to do with politics. Witness said he was taken to the Burma Camp and detained in the guardroom for five days, and along with other detainees made to work in the garden of the leader of the Revolution, Flt-Lt Jerry Rawlings.

He said they were, one day made to carry big sacks, he fell under the heavy weight and injured his waist, which doctors said would now cost 21 million to operate on before he would be cured.


He said after his release, Mary Teye brought only half of the jewellery she seized, and added that his business had not come back to normalcy since then.


He complained of having short breath and pain in the waist. Mr Francis Kojo Ackom Daafo, resident at Gomoa Brofuyeduru in the Central Region, gave evidence in respect of being accused of hoarding when he was in Dakuman in Accra in 1979.


He said he received slaps when he demanded to have a search warrant, which the soldiers did not have.


He named the soldiers as Goka and Asafo Adjaye , who he said found only a hunting gun in his room after their search.

Witness said he was detained for a day at the Burma Camp Airforce Station, and his car, Datsun 160 J was also seized but later returned to him with a faulty clutch disk.


In 1980 some soldiers trailed and arrested him at Darkuman Tsitsinga, and accusd him wrongly of wearing military uniform to extort money from people.


He said those who arrested him were, one Joe Sam and Agana, adding that they sent him to the Signals Regiment and was beaten on the orders of one Lt. Blood, who was a brother-in-law to one Mr Kyintoh who had duped him of 32,000 cedis on the pretext of acquiring a printing machine for him.


Mr. Ackom Daafo said Mr Kyintoh admitted the offence when one Col. Oti Prempeh arranged a meeting to find the real cause of his arrest, but Mr Kyinto later filed a suit against him for defrauding him of 32,000. Mr Kyinto dropped the case when he realised that he was about to lose the case.


Witness complained of constant pains in his body. 27 April 04