Six more Western Togoland secessionists convicted, face sentencing June 27

Six more persons standing trial for being members of a prohibited organization dubbed the Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) have been found guilty by the High Court in Accra for 19 charges.

They have since been convicted by the Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh after full trial and face sentencing on June 27, 2023.

The convicts – Kennedy Awuni, Kwame Tornyevidzi alias Abizibey, Raymond Yao Blu alias Captain, Edem Nukornu alias FBI Commander, Jerry Kpeglo and Sylvanus Sheshie, had pleaded not guilty to their respective charges and have been in lawful custody since.

They were variously charged for 19 counts comprising of six counts of attending meetings of a prohibited organization, one count of participation in a campaign of a prohibited organization, three counts of making contributions for the benefit of a prohibited organization, a count of accepting contributions for the benefit of a prohibited organization, six counts of being a member of a prohibited organization, stealing and unlawful training

On March 21, this year, a first set of five were each sentenced to five years in jail in hard labour after they were found guilty upon full trial which lasted for over two years.

In court on Tuesday, June 20, exactly three months after, another set of six have also been convicted.

The Criminal Division ‘3’ of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh said prosecution was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused persons.

EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that family members of some of the accused persons were already sobbing before the case was eventually called.

Brief facts

Per the brief facts of the case, officers of the National Security Council, based on intelligence gathered, embarked on an exercise to identify and arrest members of the Western Togoland Restoration Front, who, on September 25, 2020, blocked the road at Juapong and Sogakope and set fire to

two STC vehicles.

It stated that, on same day, the group of people also attacked the Aveyime and Mepe Police Stations respectively, freed the inmates in the cells, locked up the policemen on duty in the cells, took arms and ammunitions from the armory of the police stations and bolted.

It stated that, the WTRF is a splinter organization from the Homeland Study Group Foundation, whose main objective is to secede from the Republic of Ghana.

The facts added that, investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons who admitted being members of Western Togoland Restoration Front.

The Prosecution stated that, they also admitted playing active roles in its organization and activities, such as attendance of meetings, contribution of funds and the receipt of funds for the running of the organization.

Roles

The Prosecution stated that, when a search was conducted in the room of the first accused person, Kennedy Awunyo, quantities of Western Togoland flags and stickers were found.

The first accused person also received and disbursed funds of the Western Togoland Restoration Front to ensure that the plans of the organization materialized.

The second accused person, Kwame Tornyevidzi alias Abizibey, was found to have stolen one AK47 rifle at the Aveyime Police Station during the raid on September 25, 2020.

The facts stated that, the third accused person, Raymond Yao Blu alias Captain, admitted participating in Western Togoland’s guerilla military training after which he was issued with a certificate.

It further stated that, when a search was conducted in the room of the third accused person, a Western Togoland membership card and an army guerilla training certificate in his name and with his picture embossed on it, were found.

Again, the third, fourth and sixth accused persons were also found to have contributed funds for the running of the Western Togoland Restoration Front.

But for the vigilance of the security agencies, the activities of the accused persons and others at large would have led to the disruption of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on December 7, 2020 in the Volta and Oti Regions respectively.

It stated that, after investigations, the accused persons were arraigned.



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