Witnesses continue evidence at NRC

Accra, Nov. 11, GNA - Ex Sgt Oduro Frimpong, then of the Airforce Station, Burma Camp, on Wednesday indicted ex RSM Jack Bebli, of killing a number people the Airforce brought to the Burma Camp, but found dead later at the car park of the Station after the June 19 1983 jailbreak. Ex Sgt Frimpong, said that ex RSM Bebli was part of the military team that helped the victims out of the jet, and expressed strong belief that the ex RSM killed them later.

Testifying before a National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) public hearing in Accra, ex Sgt Frimpong said he expressed an open hatred of the then military regime of the then Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), denouncing the killing and he was subsequently arrested, tried and spent 16 years in gaol.

He said he spent 12 years in condemned cells and four as a life prisoner, and prayed the Commission to recommend his benefits of 10 years in military service, and possibly a public address system for a campaign to educate the youth to lead good lives.

According Ex-Sgt Frimpong, who said he had earlier expressed his abhorrence at the December 31 1981 coup, one W.O Dwaah reported his open expression of dislike against the PNDC regime, and he was subsequently arrested on April 15 1984.

He said he was arrested along with Sgt Anku, Joe Issaka, one Baba, Major Twumasi Ankrah and Major Ocran for preparing to overthrow the then regime.

He said in all, about 30 people were arrested following that allegation and sent to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), where a soldier one day took him to his house in handcuffs to be searched for weapons.

The Witness said a soldier asked him for an ashtray, and when he could not provide one, the soldier put the ash of a burning cigarette stick in his ears, and later inserted the cigarette stick into his ears. The soldier also chained his legs and hit his legs with the butt of his weapon.

He admitted that some weapons were found in his room, and added that WO Dwaah had given him one of the weapons. He said he picked them from the armoury when they were broken on the eve of the December 31 1981 coup when a number of military personnel went for them. Back at the BNI, the Witness said he was one day blindfolded, taken to the beach, with his hands up, while the soldiers hit his ribs with the butt of their weapons.

Ex Sgt Frimpong said as he was tortured the soldiers taunted, rained insults and innuendo on him, accusing him of trying to overthrow the PNDC government.

His wife, mother-in-law and father-in-law, he said, were also arrested, by a soldiers led by W O Dwaah, who alleged their complicity in a plot to oust the then government. His mother-in law was detained for five days, and his wife detained for three weeks at Border Guards Headquarters.

The Witness said he was later transferred to the Usher Fort Prison, and arraigned before the then National Tribunal, on a charge of "preparing to overthrow the government."

He said the Tribunal, which Nana Addo Aikins chaired, initially did not give him defence counsel, and one Lawyer Peter Danquah stood in for him as a friend of the court.

He said the tribunal, which later sat in camera sentenced him and his five others arrested with him to death by firing squad without making known the reasons. An appeal against the sentence was dismissed, he said.

The five others with whom he was arrested on the same day, were together executed with three other people, Danjuma Inbraima, Dr Nartey and Dr Aryee, sentenced to death for forgery, and brought into the condemned cells.

He said he was miraculously saved because his name did not appear on the last list of the executed detainees.

Three other people: Joyce Salami, Kofi Osei and Augustine Owusu, who were also brought into the condemned cell for embezzlement were also executed despite their pleas to those who did the execution for clemency to allow them to pay for the amounts they were accused to have embezzled.

Ex-Sgt Frimpong, whose testimony was cut with intermittent moments of stillness said he kept a list of the executed, and added that he had a list of 147 people who were executed, out which he saw 130 of them. He confirmed the torture, and mutilation of the male organ of Kyeremeh Djan, and other forms of severe torture of Mawuli Goka, Samuel Atta, Brefo Berko, Kankani, Koojnamson, Aful, who were executed in 1986 on a charge of treason.

The Witness said he was later transferred to Nsawam Prisons and was in detention till his release came on April 8, 2000. On his releases, his family was disorganised, he said.

On his return, the Witness said he found nothing in his room at the Air Force Station. " Mr Chairman, up to now, even I don't know where a chair is" Ex Sgt Frimpong said.

He said upon his release, he went the Airforce Headquarters to enquire about his state of affairs with the Service, and correspondence with the Minister for Defence on advice from the Air Force, though signed had not been to any avail.

He had not been issued his discharge book either.

After recess, General Emmanuel Aleaxander Erskine sat in the chair of the Commission, which heard more stories of wrongful dismissal, killing and pre-mature retirement.

Ex L/Cpl Alfred Kofi Appiah said he was dismissed from the military in 1983, for allegedly associating with dissident.

Madam Elizabeth Lamptey said her husband Mr. Robert Kwasi Ackon, former member of the security personnel of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was killed after the coup of 1966 that overthrew the rule of the Convention People's Party.

Deputy Supt. of Police Emmanuel Fiati said he was prematurely retired from the Police Service without any reasons on January 7 1993, after being informed by the then IGP J.Y.A Kwofie, a day before.