Ho, Jan. 20, GNA - Mr Gibson Kudzo Domie, a teacher at Akatsi on Tuesday told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) at Ho that his late brother Flight-Lieutenant William Kofi Domie of the Ghana Air Force, who was arrested with others, including Major Courage Quashigah (rtd) for allegedly plotting to overthrow the PNDC government in 1989 was brutally killed, contrary to official reports that he committed suicide.
He said his late brother's body bore several bullet wounds in his left armpit, below the chin, with the jaw and ribs broken, when it was released to the family in 1990 for burial.
Mr Domie said his late brother's four fingers were also broken while his forehead, which was smashed was plastered and his throat cut with a bayonet while his penis was also damaged.
He said the family took photographs of his body, some of which he tendered in evidence but said an uncle took the negatives of some of the photographs abroad.
Mr Domie said no family member was invited to be present when a post mortem examination was conducted on his late brother's body and that the family could also not conduct an independent medical examination on the body before burial because they had no money. Moreover, elders of the family advised against any pursuit of the case at that time lest they invited further trouble for the family, he added.
He said all efforts by the family to retrieve his late brother's blood soaked shirt as told by some of his colleague soldiers proved futile.
He alleged that information available to the family indicated that his brother was shot around the Castle annex and his last word was "aoo".
Mr. Domie said the family had been waiting for an opportune moment to put its case across and seek redress.
He said a Committee of Adjustment set up by the Military Authorities however, absolved his brother from any coup plot and was commended for his meritorious service for the 12 years that he served in the Air force.
Regarding his late brother's arrest, Mr Domie alleged that his information was that Captain Kojo Tsikata (rtd) invited him over for an emergency assignment but, while he was about to take a cab to respond to the call a military vehicle pulled up and picked him away.
Mr Domie said on hearing of his brother's arrest, he contacted Air Vice Marshall Harry Dumashie, who informed him that his brother's name was not in the list of those arrested.
He said the family's search for his brother also took them to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) then headed by Mr Peter Nanfuri, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) but could not locate him there. Mr Domie said his brother had three wives and three children whose upbringing was adversely affected, with the eldest son, Godson Domie, becoming a street child in Accra.
He therefore, appealed to the Commission to take up the findings of the Adjustment Committee and honour the memory of his late brother. Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Erskine, a Commissioner, pointed out that the Commission would have to conduct further investigations to ascertain the true circumstances under which the late Flt. Lieutenant Domie died. 20 Jan. 04
